Spark 2: Lost Memories
by ForevermoreAlizabeth
Summary: A vengeful Fall Spirit and stolen memories leaves Boston placing her trust in the Guardians more now than ever before, but when the services of an unexpected ex-rival are needed, will the resulting complications lead Boston to remember a complicated past and reveal hidden secrets, or help her save her future, with the help of an unlikely group of allies?
1. Chapter 1

_-Here it is ladies and gentlemen, the sequel to Spark. If you're new and haven't read Spark, the original, then I suggest you go back and read that first. For the other faithful reviewers and readers, I sincerely love you all for supporting these works, and I hope I've created a sequel to rival the original. There is one song that I am currently listening to, and it inspired so much of the story involving Bunny and Boston that I highly ask of you to listen to it. The song is called 'Near to You' by A Fine Frenzy. I do not own the Rise of the Guardians but believe me I wish I did. 3-_

_-North Pole- Bunnymund's p.o.v***_

"FROSTBITE!"I lunged for the sorry spirit, only to have the little imp dodge out of the way, laughing as he did and causing me to slip, once again, on the ice coating the floor of the overlook. My fur bristled as I scrambled like a newborn giraffee to just stand up, slipping and making it that much harder to look intimidating.

"C-C'mon! It's time for ice skating lessons!"The Winter Spirit laughed, and I reached back, pulling out a boomerang and throwing it hard, Jack's eyes widening before he quickly ducked, the weapon flying over his head. He straightened up with a cocky grin and opened his mouth to say something, only to have a loud 'thunk' ring out, as the boomerang came right back and knocked the teenager off his staff.

I caught it just as he fell to the ice, attacking without giving him time to recouperate. I landed on top of him and we began to struggle, him out of a game and me out of putting the little frost fairy in his place.

"I'll teach ya ta trick a rabbit!"I shouted, using my list of martial arts techniques to put him in a headlock, trapping his hands with mine around his neck. He struggled and kicked, but to no avail, making me smirk down in victory.

"Bunny! Stop hurting Jack!" I kept smirking as Tooth darted up to us, hands on her hips and giving a dissaproving glare.

"Aw c'mon, I'm just teachin' Frosty here a lesson!"I tried, but she frowned at me and gave me her 'no-nonesense' look. When she did this, she was about three seconds away from beating the shit out of us with a wooden spoon. Not keen on feeling the wrath of Momma Tooth, I begrudgingly let go of Jack, the spirit taking in an overly-dramatic gasp of breath and exclaiming,

"Oh Tooth, thank Manny you showed up, he was trying to kill your favorite!"

I scoffed and tried to stand, slipping again and shouting,

"Frostbite, just what in the hell were ya thinkin', icing ova' the entia' bloody workshop?!" Below us, yetis shouted out angrily, crashes and breaking toys ringing out as elves cheered sled down the railings. This was what I got, right in the bloody morning, after North calls us for one of our monthly meetings. Jack had iced everything, from the ceiling to the floor, even the bloody globe had a thin layer of icy death over it.

I did not need this, and I was about three seconds from wringing the smiling spirit's throat as he retrieved his staff and floated in the air, along with Tooth.

"Aww, c'mon Cottontail, I was just trying to lighten your sour mood!"Jack exclaimed, and I rolled my eyes, walking past the two.

"I don' have a sour mood."I retorted, only turning when Tooth said quietly,

"Well...I _have _noticed that, ever since Boston left, you've been a bit...grumpy...-er..."

I turned and looked at the two, Tooth looking awkwardly at the floor as Sandy flew up, rubbing his eye and yawning, looking around and making a question mark above his head. I ignored him, choosing instead to cross my arms and frown at the two. I wanted to be angry with them, but part of me knew they had a right to make those assumptions. I had been a bit...'grumpy', as Tooth put it, but there was a perfect reason for that.

Boston. She wasn't even here and the sheila was driving me up the bloody wall. Even thinking about her now had an effect on me, able to still perfectly imagine her eyes, her hair, and above all, her attitude. That little firework, that completely infuriating woman who turned my life into a beautiful mess, had made the last eight months complete hell-on-Earth for me. And she wasn't even bloody around to do anything!

It was just the memory of her, and that painful twinge of sadness at her being gone, of utter longing that I despised, that I never thought anyone could make me feel. But, even after being the most irritating, infuriating creature alive, electrocuting me, giving me major mood-swings, fourcing me into a state of emotion I'd thought completely impossible, openly hating us, making me sick with fear when she almost died, forcing me to see her in a new light, mocking me when I was a dropkick-pet, and then openly rejecting my saying the three words I assumed EVERY female wanted to hear, and now leaving me with a major question as to what exactly was going on between us...

"Bunny misses her!"Jack interrupted, and I growled, fur bristling as the winter spirit laughed and flew into the air, me taking a few steps forward and about to rip him a new one, a massive bellow rang out, followed by a loud thud that shook the steps behind Jack and Tooth. Jack's face visibly paled, even more than it already was, and I smirked, crossing my arms.

"Vat...vat es the meaning of this?! Why es floor all slippy-slidey?! Jack, jokes are not funny thees close to Christmas!"North shouted, stumbling his massive, clumsy frame up the steps, gripping the railing for dear life as I managed to stifle the snort rising from the sight. Jack backed up a bit and laughed nervously, North finally making it to the overlook as Tooth fluttered over, taking his arm and leading him over to Jack, North's face stern, yet not as stern as he was trying to make it seem.

Freakin' Snowflake'll get off easy, being like a bloody son to the big elf.

"Jack Frost, can I just ask, why?"North tried, and Jack touched down to the ground, not slipping as he actually looked perfectly at home standing there.

"Well...ya see, I just wanted to do a favor for my friend Bunny!"He exclaimed, and I raised an eyebrow angrily.

"Come again?"I spat, and Jack turned around, smiling that 'oh look how innocent I am' smile. "Yeah! We all know you've been upset since Boston left, what with you having a MASSIVE crush-"

"Snowflake!"I shouted, warning him that if he dare go any further that I'd skin him alive and save his teeth for Tooth. Quick as a snake, he switched sentences, leaning on his staff as he said,

"I just wanted to lighten you up a bit! Sorry about the workshop, I'll fix it." If that boy's charm could kill, we'd all be dead by now. North's face immediatly softened and he exclaimed heartily,

"Well, I do like idea of breaking Bunny of angst-"

"Oi!"

"But workshop must be fully operational! Christmas es right around corner!"North exclaimed, and Jack nodded, spinning the staff expertly in his hands and smiling.

"Show pony."I mummbled, watching as he finally stopped and slammed the staff into the floor, the ice around it cracking jaggedly and spreading, like veins along the iced-over surfaces, quickly and efficiently as cries of yetis and elves came from below. Soon, every surface of ice was cracked and fading, leaving only a colder-than-normal feel to it.

"Oi, Frostbite, don' think I'm don-"

And then the bloody lights went out.

I froze, looking in the darkness but seeing nothing more than black, the sky outside already darkened by nighttime, Manny taking refuge behind a few clouds. I could hear the gentle flutter of Tooth's wings somewhere ahead of me, which meant North was there too.

"Frostbite!"I shouted in frustration, looking to where I remembered him being last. Whatever he was playing this time was NOT gonna go without punishment, from North or me.

"It isn't me!"Jack called, innocently, "Where's Sandy?"

We heard a gentle ringing of an elf hat floating up the railing, stopping somewhere to my right, Sandy announcing his arrival from the fireplace, where he was spending a curious amount of time sleeping lately.

"Es okay! Lights can go out all time, much snow outside! Probably just circut breaker."

"Wait...so you mean you live in a magical workshop full of yetis and elves and a kick-ass sleigh...and you still get your energy from Circut City?"

"Yes. Es bad?"

I heard an audible thump of Jack's head against his staff, me rolling my eyes.

"Well,"I said, "Someone wanna go fix it?"

There was a silence as the others presumably waited for someone else to volunteer to go wandering around the workshop in complete darkness, a silence that mildly unsettled me, my senses on overdrive, making sure no elf would try to pull anything, or Jack-

Bloody hell, there's a breath on the back of my neck. I could feel it, the fur standing on end and a creepy tingling sensation running down my spine. Crikey, keep calm Bunnymund! You're 6,1, master of tai chi and the ancient art of-

"Boo."

"CRIKEY!"

I threw myself away from whatever was behind me, rolling into a summmersault and spinning, both boomerangs out and at the ready as, as suddenly as they had turned off, the lights flew back on.

And my stomach immediatly dropped, hearing the all-too familiar laughter before I saw the owner of the voice, turning head-over-heels in the air.

"Bahahaha! Y-you s-should ha-have s-seen your f-f-face!"

I lowered my boomerangs, glaring with my ears plastered to my head in embarrasment, a heavy frown on my face as I looked at the girl and, all at once, couldn't fight back all of the old emotions that came in waves, washing over me as I tried to maintain a look of annoyance.

But damn, if she wasn't the exact same girl. And damn, if I hadn't missed her.

"Boston!"Jack shouted, shooting from my side and immediatly tackling the former Guardian of Dreams to the ground, Jack laughing and Boston shouting,

"Owch, Frostbite! Watch it!" But while she was saying it she was laughing, rolling over and shoving Jack off of her, yet not with the gusto I expected. Absentmindedly, as my ears stood once again, one of them twitched. Something was off about her, I could just feel it. I looked at her, seeing just normal Boston at first, sitting there as Jack rubbed his head and play-pouted, Tooth and North flipping their lids at having their daughter/sister-figure back, Sandy waving emphatically at Boston.

But something was definitly wrong. I looked harder, and noticed that she didn't seem as...lively, as she normally did. She slouched her shoulders, and not in the bored or 'teenage-rebel-without-a-cause' way that she normally did. It looked...tired. Yes, that was it, she looked exauhsted, like she'd just been through a week without sleep or food. Her hair, while still vibrant, seemed to hang more in her face than normal, and there were almost dark circles under her eyes, just barely tinted a darker color. Her lids were a bit lower than usual, though she was trying to maintain a normal-facad.

I saw right through it.

"Oi, sheila."I said, crossing my arms as she looked up at me, and for a moment I had to remind myself to not just stare at her eyes, that I had to know what was wrong, because I'd never seen her like this. I'd seen her crying, sleeping, and happy, but never..._tired. _ She was always glowing, always dangerous, always energetic and alive. Seeing her tired was...unnerving.

"Hm? What's up Cottontail? Need a diaper change?"She mocked, but her voice seemed too breathy, a bit labored. So much so that I completely ignored the jab at my minor little jump and gave her a sizing look.

"Somethin's not right here, ya look like ya just went ten rounds in a ring."I mused, and saw a quick, almost uncatchable, flash of surprise, before she went back to her lopsided-grin and raised an eyebrow.

"There's a dirty joke in there somewhere, I just can't find it."She said, but Tooth came to my aid.

"Bunny's right, is something wrong sweetie? You look a little tired."She cooed sweetly, Jack standing next to Boston and looking down, curious. Boston looked at each of us, an almost wary and bemused look in her eyes, as if she expected to actually get something past us, the ones who knew her better than anyone...

Well, not anyone. There was still one man that knew her perfectly, and I quickly shoved him from my mind. It was ridiculous to be...fine, jealous...of a man who was slowly gaining all of his power back in some hole in the ground. And yet...

"Fine, got me."Boston sighed, breaking me from my thoughts. She gave a bit of a submissive smirk at us and, way too slowly and shakily, got to her feet, me resisting the urge to step up and help her. She shoved her hands in her jean pockets, Tooth falling to her feet next to me. I could feel the worry of the others radiating off of them, my stomach tightening a bit, wondering what could make her like this.

"Well, I was gonna be gone a bit longer than this, but due to recent events I had to cut my absence short. See...I need your help."She said, and my eyes widened.

"Wait, Boston is asking fer our help?"I asked jokingly, and she rolled her eyes,

"Yeah, like you weren't doing the same eight months ago!"She shot back, and I silently glared, her shooting one back at me.

"Why do you need help? Es someone bothering my little Boston?"North asked, sounding like an overly-protective father. Boston's eyes got wide and she stuttered,

"You're l-little...what..."She paused, and then managed to crack a smile, shaking her head and musing, "You're still a crazy bastard."

"Oi, jus' tell us what it is that ya can't handle on yer own, sheila."I teased again, loving seeing her little playful smirk as she spat back,

"Well, if you want to know, Fluffy," Damn her... "..."She paused, looking away for a moment and getting my attention. A small frown formed on her face, and I tensed up, wondering what _was _ so bad that she would actually ask for our help. We were friends now, or whatever Boston and I had going on, but for her to ask others to help her after thousands of years of isolation and fending for herself...

I was right. Something was seriously wrong.

"You guys remember that fall spirit that I may or may not have horribly mangled about a thousand years ago?"She asked, and we all nodded as she frowned, looking down a bit as she said in a troubled voice I'd never heard her use before, "Well...he recovered. And I guess he was pissed off. Like, majorly, and he's had a long time to plan his revenge I guess because...well, if it were anything I could handle I wouldn't really be here."

"What did he do?"Jack asked worriedly, tilting his head to the side as Boston took in a deep breath, something dark clouding here eyes for just a moment as a dark feeling settled inside of me. She flickered her eyes up to us and said,

"He stole my memories."

I froze, body tensed up as a million questions ran through my mind, feeling anger flicker in my chest as I thought about how precious memories were to Boston, how horrible they'd been, how protective she was of them.

"But that's impossible!"Tooth exclaimed, "I would have known-"

"He's had them for awhile."Boston interrupted, waving her hand in a tired motion, silencing Tooth. "Listen, I know it's all really confusing right now, but I don't have any energy to exlain it at the moment. Tomorrow I'll tell you all everything, I promise, but this is the basic gist that I can give you:

"This fall spirit stole my memories, and he's had them for awhile. He hid them in a forest so I wouldn't even know they were missing from where they were supposed to be, and only recently did he finally take them."

"Why would he want your memories?"Jack asked, and Boston sighed again.

"A few thousand years ago, my past wasn't as well-kept a secret as it is now. A few spirits knew that my memories, my path, were the reasons I was chosen as a Guardian. They are a defining factor in who I am. Back then, I didn't know it, but the path I had to take and the memories I had were all necissairy for me to become who I am today, to have the center that I have. I told you guys that Manny spoke to me when I was having that nightmare, right?"

"Yes,"North said behind me, "You said Manny told you center was 'to protect those closest to you'."

"Yeah,"Boston said tiredly, "That was my center that he saw when he created me. He said it was so strong that I was meant to be more than a Guardian, and he led me on a path that would lead me to being the person I am now, to be able to protect the ones I care about."

"Wait,"Jack interrupted, "If you're meant to be more than a Guardian-"

"Not the point."Boston interrupted, and my ear twitched again. I remembered a conversation, eight months ago, when Boston seemed to not even dance around, but completely block me from asking, a certain question. If Manny did tell her that she was meant for something more, clearly he told her what...

As this explination went on, I was getting more and more questions that I felt wouldn't be answered tomorrow, when she tried to clear things up.

"So, what's the point?"I asked, and her eyes flickered to mine for a moment, something hidden behind them, like a knowing, before she continued.

"My memories make me who I am. Essentially, they give me power that I lack from believers...Sandy."She looked over to the little man, who was still yawning and nodding to her. "You've been feeling different lately, right?" Sandy gave her a surprised face and images flashed across his head, 'how did you know?'

A grim, yet light-hearted look crossed her face, as she explained,

"We're basically twins, made for the same purpose out of essentially the same things. You're being affected because..."She trailed off, clearing her throat and looking at us uncertainly, hands buried firmly in her pockets as we waited, something horrible twisting in my gut.

Finally, she sighed lightly, saying in a non-chalant, light tone,

"I'm dying."


	2. To Be Cared About

_-Sorry if this chapter's a bit long, I just felt that I had to explain everything before we get to the fluff and the..'interesting'...parts!-_

_-The North Pole- Boston's p.o.v***_

"I'm dying." I said, trying to sound calm about it and making a feeble attempt to ebb the oncoming torrent of questions that, as I felt my energy drain and that familiar warm glow in my chest slowly begin to fade, I wasn't physically able to answer. I waited a second, hands stuffed into my pockets and leaning in on them, easing some of the weakness in my back, as I gauged their expressions and tried to anticipate how bad they'd take it.

Almost comically, they all had the same facial expression. Big eyes, jaw dropped, silent gasp. They looked almost like fish.

Of course, they reacted much more...loudly.

"No! How?! This isn't good, we have to do something! Oh my, oh my, oh my!"Tooth began to hyperventilate, darting in front of me and making me dizzy, firmly placing her hands on my shoulders and looking me up and down, her wings moving at super-sonic speeds and feathers actually ruffling, eyes glued wide-open. I opened my mouth to say something, but North interrupted me,

"I vill go down to Fall Spirit and make Borscht soup out of him! That vill make him give back memories!"

"Guys-"I tried, but Jack cut me off, me looking over Tooth's shoulder to see frost covering the ground near his feet as he gripped his staff, looking worried beyond his years.

"But you can't die! That's impossible, right? We're immortal!"He exclaimed, and Tooth fussed with a high, worried voice,

"Not exactly! Not if our source of power is taken from us, and with it we'll fade! Just like when Pitch made the children stop believing, our power comes from their belief in us, and we started to...to...oh dear! This can't happen! You look so..so...Oh!"

"Tooth!"Bunny was at her side, him being the only one who hadn't reacted yet. To be honest, his reaction was the one I was most curious to see, ever since I'd realized what was going on when that damned tree-stump had the balls to come face-to-face with me...

He seemed calm, but I could see through that facade immediatly. He was trying to be the one to keep everyone together, to take care of the situation, but something in the way his ears were slightly down, how his normally-bright eyes were a bit darker, and the frown firm on his lips. So he was upset.

That shouldn't have made me as happy as it did.

"Go hyperventelate ova' there with North an' give her some space."Bunny instructed Tooth, who was looking at me like I was a ghost...which might not be the appropriate comparison at the moment. She slowly fluttered over to North, who looked like he was either about to start freaking out like Tooth or murder someone, with frost gradually increasing under Jack, actual snow beginning to form over his head.

Sandy was right in front of them, shooting off all of the questions that the others were too stunned to ask in the form of sand images, going too fast for anyone to be able to read. In fact, it was giving me a major headache, and I managed a weak hand wave, feeling my arm shaking as I quickly put my hand back in my pocket. The images slowly stopped and faded down like snow over Sandy's head, mimicking the steady snowfall over Jack's head.

I looked at all of them, all seemingly shaken to their cores, all because they were worried about me. This group that I used to hate, and now, seeing them like this, I couldn't quite remember why. It was an...odd feeling, having people actually worrying about my well-being, and granted I didn't know if I was handling the situation like I should have been. It was foreign, trying to convince people to _not _ worry about me, when it had never been an issue up until I met this group.

"Listen,"I tried, feeling like my energy was fraying like a string, "I get that I haven't exactly made sense, and there's a shit-ton I've still got to explain to you all. And I will, but right now I've seriously got to get some sleep if I want to answer your questions tomorrow. Okay?" Jack raised his eyebrows, as if surprised at the fact that I needed sleep.

"Sleep?"He asked innocently, the snow above his head gradually stopping and the frost at his feet melting. I rolled my eyes and said,

"Yeah, don't forget that I was the Guardian of Dreams. While sleeping wont stop my little 'dying' issue, it's how I recharge my batteries, and with everything going on, I haven't slept in a few weeks."I nodded my head towards Sandy, who was yawning as if on cue, and said, "Why do you think this guy's been so sleepy lately? The closer I got, the stronger our connection got. Sorry, Sands."

He gave me a sleepy smile and a thumbs up, but Jack kept talking,

"No, I meant...you trust us enough to sleep here?" I paused, genuinly surprised by that. But, when I looked at the others faces, I saw the same amount of surprise. Tooth was still flushed and breathing like a woman in labor, but she seemed more surprised now than flustered. North was clearly trying to surpress a grin and failing miserably, Sandy had his head tilted to the side in wonder, and Bunny...

Bunny was giving me a discreet little smirk and a knowing look, forgetting that I still had enough energy to shock him, but not nearly enough will-power. Because I'd gone eight whole months without see his smile, and as sticky-sappy as this sounded, I'd never missed anything more in my life. So I let him live.

"Well..."I said, looking back at the ecclectic little bunch, a smile slowly sliding onto my face, "Do I have a reason not to?"

"Of course not!"North boomed so loud it rattled my eardrums and made Tooth jump, arms out wide and beaming brighter than I'd ever seen, his eyes twinkling as the large man turned to a yeti and began talking to him in Russian. After he was done, the yeti bowed and North exclaimed with the usual gusto, "You vill sleep here until ve figure out what happened and plan to fix! No? Yes!"

"Yes?"I asked, him having answered his own question.

"But, but, I still don't understand-"

"Oi, the sheila's 'bout ta knock out, let 'er sleep an' then we'll disscuss whateva' mess Boston's got herself inta this time."Bunny interrupted Tooth, and I got caught between a glare and a thankful smirk. Sleep, after all that had gone on, was something I desperatly needed. Finally, Tooth and Jack backed up, North beaming down at me as I took a step forward.

Only to feel a paw immediatly on the back of my arm, as if guiding me as I paused for just a second... And without fail, it happened. Through the thick padding on my jacket, on cue, I felt the quick tingle of sparks shooting up my arm, from just his simple touch. Nothing had changed. Had I really taken eight months to see if it would?

We walked past the others, and soon we entered a darkened hallway. As the other fell out of earshot, I became acutely aware of what was going to happen. Something in his eyes, in how he looked at me when Jack had asked that unanswerable question...Bunny had a few questions of his own, questions that could never be answered in front of the Guardians...if ever.

I knew they deserved to know my purpose. They desereved to know it the moment I figure it out, and that eight-month hiatus was just my way of coping with the...the sudden change of it all. I could say that I took the eight months to decide wether I wanted this purpose, but that would be lying to myself. Of course I wanted it, because wether I liked it or not, this group had become incredibly important to me. The absence was just...clearing my head, and testing how truly important to me they were.

Which was ridiculous, because within the first damned week I already missed them so much that the loneliness of it all was actually painful. When I let them get so close to me, I didn't realize what I was doing at the time. Had I known what would have happened that night I agreed to stay in the Pole until morning, I had no clue what I was getting myself into.

Through their annoying cheerfulness, hospitality, and unavoidable friendship, they'd become something I never thought I'd have again. Something I hadn't had, really, if you looked at my last one... They'd become my family. I stuck it out for eight months, trying not to think about them but finding it painfully difficult until I was one hundred percent sure that I was going to take up this job given to me, though the trip had been cut short.

...And yet I couldn't bring up the courage to tell them this, tell them my purpose, because...that's almost as terrifying as what had happened between Bunny and I. Because if I told them, I'd never be able to go back to how things were, not that I wanted to, but it was all just too much change all at once. I'd tell them eventually, but I had to ease into it...

..And I had to not die. Which seemed to be a difficult thing for me to do this year.

"Here ya are, sheila."Bunny mused, stopping and taking his paw away as we stopped at a door in the center of a darkened hallway, not even Manny shining bright, his light blocked by a thin, transparent cloud, allowing only a faint little glow. I looked down at the round, decorated doorknob, and paused...

Damn that bastard.

"...You wanna help me out here?"

"Tell me what I wanna know."

I sighed, placing my forehead on the door out of frustration and exauhstion. I knew he'd pull something like this, and if I didn't know that, in my weakened state, touching metal might have a much more drastic effect on me than it did before, I would have risked it, just to get out of this.

"Bunny..."I groaned, too tired for this right now. My body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, a hidden light somewhere inside of me dimming not fast enough to be a concern immediatly, but gradually and constantly.

"I deserve ta know, Boston. We both know what I was tryin' ta say, and then you take off fer eight months with me not knowin' what we've got between us now or why ya didn't let me say...it."Bunny said, his tone serious and, and this almost killed me right then and there, a bit of hurt. And if only he knew why I couldn't have him say it, if only he understood that I was too emotionally inept to deal with letting someone that close to me again after Pitch...

If only he knew that he was more important to me than anyone, but I was still nursing my wounds from Pitch. Wounds I had to let close before I let Bunny in. But these were things I couldn't say, things I didn't know how to say, and so I couldn't answer him completely.

But the pain hidden under his gruff exterior was enough to make me want to set him at ease, even if just a bit. I turned, back pressed against the door as I looked at him, his face serious and arms at his sides, eyes momentarily tracing the tattoos on his fur before refocusing on his face.

"Bunny...I need to get through all of _this, _ before I can deal with something like...like _that._ "Bam, vague and yet satisfying. Win. I relaxed as Bunny slowly nodded, crossing his arms. Good, he took it...

"That's a crock answer."He said calmly, and I almost groaned, when he visibly relaxed and smirked, a hint of mischeif back in his eyes, "But yer lookin' like yer 'bout ta pass out on me, so I'll let it slide fer now." I didn't miss that he said 'fer now', but I took what I could get and moved off the door with some effort, waiting for Bunny to move and open it for me...

But he remained still, smirking at me. I raised an eyebrow, getting irritated, as I finally snapped,

"Oi, Fluffy! Open the damned door before I light your ass up!" Bunny, instead of growling at the appropriate nickname, just let out a mischevious laugh. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what his deal was, when he gave me a suave look and said,

"In the week afta' ya left, North replaced every bloody piece of metal with the kind ya got on the zippa' on yer jacket. You can open it."

...I paused, then mutely turned and grabbed the doorknob, turning it and pushing open the door without so much as a burn...

"...I hate you."I deadpanned, hanging my head for having fallen for that trick.

"Sure ya do, sheila. Seeya tomorrow."Bunny called, laughing as he walked down the hall.

"I swear to Manny, I'm gonna skin him one day."I muttered to myself as I kicked shut the door behind me, entering the room and not paying attention to anything other than the bed against the far wall. I all but collapsed into it, not careing to pull the covers over me, just letting out a tired groan as my muscles relaxed and I lightly closed my eyes, thinking about explaining everything tomorrow.

The images of what had happened earlier in this week played out in front of me like a movie, an anger instantly lighting in my tired body, along with a twist of fear and worry in my gut, thinking about what had happened.

I'd been flying through a forested area of Chicago, just biding my time by dodging in and out of trees and electrocuting the randome squirrel. It was all peaceful and calm, snow having yet to fall over the already-melted areas of the forest floor. I was minding my own buisiness when, out of the blue, something small and round nailed me right in the temple. I'd seen black dots for a second as I spun out of the air, the sparks catching me before I could land hard on the ground, setting me down easily as I heard a rustle in the treeline.

I'd immediaty shot up, standing and glaring at whoever dared to hit me with what I assume was a rock. A sillouhette of what appeared to be a small, thin creature, no taller than 3,5, 4 feet max appeared, and as the man spoke, a familiar memory lit a fire in my veins.

"My aim's just as good as it was a thousand years ago."A voice cackled out, sounding as twisted and knotted, almost like a creepy old man's voice, as the body that appeared as the Fall Spirit stepped into the light. His body was brown, almost able to blend with the light-colored trees around us, limbs looking more like bones. They were so thin I could wrap a hand around them, the joints clearly showing along the twisted and knotted appearence, his entire body seemingly frail and fragile.

What only added to his weak appearence were the pure-white scars going along his entire body, some creating indents, others so gruesome-looking that I was surprised he was in as good a shape as he looked. Especially since it had been me who gave him these deformations.

He grinned at me with a no-toothed maw, his nose a cut-off branch and making a sharp, 90 degree turn, having been broken in my outburst all those years ago, two deep-brown eyes sneering at me over two bumps that had the shape of eyebrows over a crown of small sticks with little green leaves, a thin, tattered, brown, knee-length smock the only thing covering his rickety-body.

In his hand, he was tossing a stone up and down. The other was tucked behind his back, and I made damn sure to watch out for whatever it was he'd been planning.

"Birchley."I'd spat, sparks flairing intimidatingly around me, his eyes never loosing that self-righteous sneer plastered hideously on his twisted, deformed face, "Never thought I'd see you again. Thought I'd killed you, or at least Pitch had made it clear to not get within a hundred miles of me. Guess you need another lesson, little piss-spot-for-dogs."

Anger flashed across his eyes, dark and furious, replaced by an even darker smile, something trickey playing behind his eyes. But I'd been unintimidated, having been not only more powerful, but cautious as well. Not to mention that the last time Birchley had decided to attack me, that had been the day I decided to start defending myself.

"Oh, I don't think so this time, dearie. See, I've gotten all better from our last little encounter, and that thousand years gave me a lot of time to think of how to repay you for what you did to me."His voice became twisted and bitter at the end, the words sounding odd without teeth and from that crooked mouth. I crossed my arms and had smirked, unaware of what he'd thought up.

"Oh, and you think you can fight me now, little twig?"I'd mocked, and his laugh cut me off, sharp in the air and sounding almost victorious.

"Oh no! I'm in no way saying that I can defeat you physically...but that's the only thing you're strong in, isn't it?"He cooed, and I'd immediatly tensed, glaring daggers at him as he continued, eyes glinting in malevolence, "Aww, you know I'm right, don't you? Because behind all of that brawn and mindless power, you're really just an emotionally weak little girl, aren't you? With these painful memories-"

"Shut up!"I'd screamed, the sparks popping and cracking angrily around me, only serving to make the Fall Spirit's eyes glitter even brighter.

"Oh, no, but it's okay! See, these painful memories, all of that pain you've stored inside your mind, that's where you get your power, isn't it? Your past, those memories that make you care so much about those close to you, that's your power, right? That's who you are, just like believers to the Guardians...I wonder, since they almost faded when their believers fell into wrong hands, if the same would happen to you if...say...someone _evil _ had your memories?"

I remembered distinctly, that feeling of ice sliding down my spine, the cold sweat that broke out on my body. As he'd said these words, my entire world began to shatter, and a fear I couldn't remember had planted itself firmly in my chest. He pulled the other hand out from behind him, and placed in it was a thin, cylindrical, gold-and-white decorated box. I knew exactly what it was.

A long ago, I'd stolen it myself and entrusted it to the one person who, no matter what, it would actually be safe with. And it had...but how...

"You look scared, and confused,"Birchley mocked, and I'd tensed at his words, eyes glued to the box containing all of my memories, the most precious and hated things I had, "Let me explain, little one. You see, I got better about six years ago, and my plan could not have fallen into a better time frame. I merely waited for an opportunity, waited for a chance to infiltrate that 'boyfriend's lair, when things were chaotic enough to not notice a simple little creature in the darkness.

"I found this, beautiful little thing, but there was one complication: That Boogeyman was still around, still after you, and as intelligent as I was, I knew that nothing could happen while he was still in the picture. So I waited, I hid this beautiful case right here in this forest, where you ruined my perfect complexion, leaving you unaware and unharmed... Five years, I twiddled my thumbs, waiting for the Guardians to do their damn job!"He was spiteful for a second, but quickly recovered, twirrling the case one in his hand and making me flinch, knowing very well what would happen if that thing shattered.

"And loe and behold, it was you who signed your own death-warrent! You sent the only one protecting you from me into a hole, completely broken and unable to lay a finger on me! With him gone, I could freely hurt you like you did me. I retrieved these memories...and do you know what I'm going to let you do?"He cooed, and before I could move, raised the stone in his hand up and, in a flash of grey and yellow, smashed it down on the side of the box.

A pain tore open in my chest and I'd screamed, flinching and the sparks around me falling, sputtering in pain themselves as I felt like something horribly important to me had just been ripped clean out of me, looking up and panting as my body shook, seeing Birtchley placing the cylindrical box in the pocket on the front of his apron and, in the other, only a small little sliver of the box. A small sliver that meant so, so much. Because even as small as it was, it was a damage to my memories, a damage to me.

"I'm going to let you die slowly and painfully."He growled, voice rickety and malevolent, as he took the shard and placed it in the pocket alongside the box. In my pained and panicked state, knowing full-well the danger I had just been put in, words left be before I could have thought about them,

"The Guardians wont let you kill me." I almost straightend at my own words, shocked. It was that moment that I had decided that I needed their help, that I was ready to end my absence. Birchley grinned a toothless grin, a giant cut-like smile in his face as a throaty, disgusting chuckle emitted.

"Who would help a creature like you?"He spat, before dissapearing behind the tree line, not another sound to be heard.

I'd waited a second, trying not to let his words hurt me as much as they had, and headed straight for the North Pole. With my constantly weakening state, it had taken just shy of a week to get here. And any doubt that Birchley's words had brought about were immediatly dashed the second I saw them, the second I saw their worry, I saw just how important we had become to each other. It felt nice. To know others cared about me.

With that thought, I finally felt myself slip down into sleep, feeling safe and sound for the first time amoungst this group of idiots. Amoungst my family.

_-The Next Morning-_

"That sneaky little bastard."Bunny cursed, all of us sitting around the island in the middle of the kitchen, sipping on the oh-too-familiar diabetes-coco. I'd just finished telling them what had happened at the beginning of the week, feeling a hell of a lot better. All of the weakness was gone, but there was still that unsettling feeling in my chest, of the mildly dimming light. But I took what I could get, relieved that I could actually answer their questions now.

"Wait, so...Pitch had your memories?"Jack asked, and I nodded.

"See, when the spirits were attacking me Pitch was still...well, the Pitch I knew. He was pissed about what was going on the second he finally figured it out, and believe it or not...he actually protected me. I trusted him, and my memories could have been in danger with all of those spirits now wanting my head for completely destroying Birtchley. I was paranoid, so I kinda.."I gave Tooth a weak little chuckle, feeling a bit guilty, as I said, "...Snuck in and stole my memories.

"At the time I didn't trust you guys as far as I could throw you! And you were all relatively new, I had no way to trust you with something so important...sorry?"I offered, and Tooth gave me that too-damn-sweet smile, saying lightly,

"It's fine, I understand...though I do feel a bit bad about security..." I waved her off and said,

"Don't, I nearly got my head taken off a few times by all those freakin' booby traps you set up!" Tooth blushed, modestly shrugging and scratching her head.

"So you gave Pitch your memories, but how were they safe after you guys had that massive fight?"Jack asked, seeming to voice everyone's questions. I gave him a light look and explained,

"Well...Pitch never really wanted to hurt me. It's complicated unless you knew our whole story, but...somehow I never actually considered him hurting me, it was just this unspoken thing between us, I guess. They were always safe with him."

"Yeah, he'd neva' hurt ya, that's why he drove a bloody dagga' right through you."Bunny mummbled, and I gave him a mildly surprised look, a small bit of anger flaring up inside me, but it was smothered by confusion. Bunny sounded...I couldn't quite place it, but there was some bitterness in there, seeing him glaring off at the wall, avoiding our eye-contact as he took a sip of the coco, wincing at the sweetness.

"Hey, you were there when I attacked him eight months ago. You heard his side."I said, but that look on Bunny's face didn't leave, just shrugging and slumping like some angsty teenager. Whatever the hell was up with him, I didn't feel like dealing with at the moment.

"How did Birchley get memories in first place? Even I no go into creepy dark cave!"North exclaimed, and I poked at the mug as I mused calmly,

"Apparently he got the chance when you guys were fighting Pitch."

"When Pitch stole the memories from Tooth!"Jack pipped up, and I raised an eyebrow, for once out of the loop. Tooth's face lit up with revelation and she nodded, Sandy, now much more alert, making a checkmark above his head.

"Sorry, what?"I asked, and Jack took a massive, cringe-worthy gulp of the coco, then said,

"Pitch took all of those little memory-boxes from Toothiana and hid them in his lair. With all of those boxes of teeth, and the chaos going on everywhere else, he'd have the perfect chance to steal your memories!"

"Hm. That's actually pretty genius."I admitted, but Bunny waved a paw.

"Hold on, that was five years ago. Why didn't ya get affected then?"He asked, and I mused,

"He couldn't use the memories against me while Pitch was still around and able to get to him. So he waited, hiding my memories in some forest where I wouldn't know they'd fallen into 'evil hands', and when I put Pitch out of service he acted on his plan."

"...So what do we do?"Jack asked after a small silence, and everyone looked to me. I paused, looking at all of them with a blank face, before musing,

"..Dunno."

"What?!"Bunny exclaimed, "Why don' we jus' go an' get the little sucka?"

"He isn't easy to find!"I defended, "Barely anyone knows where he lives, him exiling himself after the shame of me beating the bark out of him."

"Well!"North slammed his hands down on the table so loudly that it shook the drinks and I jumped, my chair tipping over and Bunny barely catching it and righting it in time, both of us shaken and panting, looking incredoulsy at North.

"Was that necissairy?!"I exclaimed, "I'm kinda dying here!" North continued to beam like the crazy Russian he was and said simply,

"For dramatic effect!"I almost slammed my face into this table... "Anyway! I library I have many books on fall spirits, I can easily search through and find location!" I sighed, but then stopped. This sounded too easy...

"How many books?"I asked suspiciously.

"Ahem...let see...that one...oh! That one too...es about...two hundred fifty."

This time I really did slam my face into the table.

"I'm dead."I deadpanned, but a light hand tapped my shoulder. I looked up, seeing Sandy making imaged above his head and smiling, 'You can help with Christmas to keep your mind off of your memories!'

"Excellent idea!"North boomed before I could object. I sat straight up, gaping at them as I exclaimed,

"Um, hello, I'm in no chance helping with-"

"Vill be excellent! Everything will be prepared early enough for party in three days!"

"Woah, wait, party? I don't do-"

"Oh wont this just be fantastic! We can all deliver the presents, too! It can be a race like when we had to deliver the teeth!"

"Hey, I didn't-"

"Oh yeah! This year, you're going down Cottontail!"

"Hey! Anyone listening to the dying girl?!"

"Mate, what have I told ya 'bout racin' a rabbit?"

"Guess not."

"Please, I'm not scared of you!"

"This is ridiculous."

"Very well! Let us go and begin! Jack, you help with wrapping, Tooth can keep everything running smoothly, Sandy can keep elves in nap-time, Bunny vill help paint, and Boston can begin decorating for pre-Christmas party! I go get started reading!"North boomed, and he, Tooth, Sandy, and Jack went racing out of the room in a rush of excitement, brought on by the obscene amount of sugar in the drinks.

And I debated smashing my face back into the island.

"...Why did I come back again?"I asked, and Bunny chuckled.

"Cuz ya couldn't stay away."He teased, not knowing how true that really was. I rolled my eyes, but then a thought popped up. An old thought, and probablly one of my better ones. I smirked and turned to him, sitting next to me and leaning in close enough to make him turn his head. The second he did, his eyes widened, our noses barely a centimeter apart as I gave him a lopsided smirk and winked.

"You're right, Bunny. I just couldn't stay away."I teased, giddy as I saw his ears immediatly drop down to his head. I laughed and slid out of my chair, walking out of the kitchen and out to the workshop. Planes flew about, the sounds of toy-making decorating the atmosphere, Tooth's orders and Jack's laughs ringing about. And the whole placed seemed to be a hell of a lot brighter, the Christmas spirit filling this place up to the brim.

And for a second I was caught in the wonder of it all. Wonder at how I ever stayed away from these guys, as all my worries seemed to melt away, thinking about how they were helping, and things would work out for the best. Why not have a little fun while we were sorting this whole mess out?

"Enjoy the view?"Bunny whispered against my neck, and I jumped, letting out a squeak I'd deny for the rest of my existance and spining around to see a beaming Bunny with his paws on his hips. "Don't start that up again, sheila. It's bad news, playing mind games with a rabbit."

"Good thing I'm playing them with a kangaroo."I shot back, and took off faster than he could lunge at me, shooting towards the workshop floor, wondering how the hell one decorated for a Christmas party, my fears and worries, for the moment, fading in the noise of Christmas preperations and mayhem.


	3. Bruises From the Past

_-I'm going to try to add in more of Boston's memories, to make things less vague and give a better understanding of her past and what actually happened to her. If you have any suggestions please let me know and I'll try my best to work them in there! P.S. Just because I know this would annoy me, too, I've mentioned before that I'm colorblind. Therefore, if I ever get any colors per characteristics of the Guardians wrong, feel free to tell me and I'll correct it as best I can. Thank you!-_

_-North Pole- Boston's p.o.v***_

"It's a turtle."

"Listen, Frostbite, I know you're head's shoved up in the clouds 24/7, but that's definity a toaster."

"Seriously? What planet do you live on!"

"A planet where square-shaped clouds look like toasters."I retorted back to the winter spirit as we floated on our backs, our heads on either side of the giant star atop the ridiculously massive Christmas tree, situated behind the red couch in front of the fireplace on the non-working side of the workshop, and pressed right to the globe. To be honest, I didn't know how North had gotten the thing in here. It had to be more than fifteen feet across, and pushing fifty feet tall, barely scratching the ceiling of the building.

I eyed the small little puff cloud outside of the hole in the ceiling, gliding across the dying evening light, deciding that, no matter what Jack said, it was definitly a toaster.

"Hey, Boston?"He asked, and I 'hmm'ed, arms behind my head as sounds of Tooth and Bunny shouting instructions echoed up to us. Jack had gotten kicked out of his job by Phil the yeti, Jack apparently having been demoted to little-kid safety scissors after almost impailing his eyes, and eventually got kicked out all together when the scissors ended up slicing off a bit of Phil's hair.

I, on the other hand, had finished my job. Took two hours of hanging red and green streamers, holly, wreaths, bells, and glittering lights all around the main part of the worskshop. I'd even decorated the entire damn Christmas tree! The only thing left to do was light up the tree, but Jack had distracted me by...well...cloud-watching.

"Yeah Icebox?"I asked, as the little cloud moved away from us and in its place, a lazy, thin, alligator-looking cloud rolled in front.

"Why did the Fall Spirit attack you in the first place?"Jack asked, purely curious and innocent as always. I crossed my ankles, gazing up at the sky and a twinge of anger and worry twisting in my gut, knowing that the same Fall Spirit that I decimated all those years ago actually got back at me. Presently, it hadn't been worth it. But back then...I thought back, to the first and last time the crooked little guy attacked me...

_~One Thousand Years Ago~_

_ "Hmph."I mumbled, feeling something prod my side, stirring me from sleep. Thinking it was Pitch trying to not-so-nicely wake me up, I shot a trail of sparks over my shoulder._

_ The next prod was painful, and my eyes immediatly flew open as I felt something smash into the side of my head. I cried out, a pain splitting just over my eyebrow as my vision went black for a moment, instinctively curling up with my back flush against the tree I'd fallen asleep under._

_"Lookie here!"A creaky old voice cheered, as I winced open my eyes, only to have something small and hard hit my collarbone so hard it made an audible 'crack', me crying out as I quickly flinched in on myself, knees pulled up as I held my hands in front of my face._

_ As I did, an amused cackle rang out, along with a torrent of more small, lightning-fast stones, all making sick hollow sounds as they bounced off my shins, my hands and wrists. Creaky, sharp-tongued insults and coaxing words were shouted at me, unheard as I tried to block myself out from the world for a second. This was the second time this month, the second time I'd fallen asleep waiting for Pitch to finish keeping the fears of the world in check this month. The old bruises still littered my body, some well-aimed stones hitting them and making me bite my lip to stifle the yelps of pain in my throat._

_ I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry out in pain. Not as more laughs joined, each more twisted than the last, so many stones hitting me at once that I felt myself begin to numb, either from the immense pain or maybe from shock, just feeling light thuds as more bruises formed on my body. Something tickled on my forehead, a liquid falling through my fingers as I waited. Waited like I always did._

_ For it to be over. For them to leave. To try and stay away from Pitch long enough for the bruises to heal, so he wouldn't suspect anything. Because this was humiliating, and they knew it. That was why they did it, wasn't it? They wanted to humiliate me. To kick a dog when it's down. Because who was a better target than someone who was once in a higher title than them, resorted to something so...so weak._

_ Because that's what I was, right? Weak. The thought made something stirr in my chest, and I grit my teeth. Weak. I wasn't weak. I knew this, knew very well that I was more powerful than all these wretched spirits put together. I could easily stop this. I could. So why wasn't I?_

_ This was a question I hadn't asked myself yet. I hadn't even considered it, too consumed by my rejection from Manny, from the children forgetting me, from being alone, from the confusion, from the spirits turning on me. All the distractions, all of the pain...it suddenly seemed horribly unfair. So unfair that...that why was this happening? What the hell had I done to deserve this?_

_ I cared about those kids, I still did. I protected them with my life, and I never hurt one of them. Yeah, I was irresponsible, but I did my damn job. And I was rewarded with Manny just tossing me aside? Like a toy he got tired of playing with? That man I once looked at like a father I never had, but that was all just an act, wasn't it? Just a game until he got bored and moved onto something more interesting. _

_ Something dark twisted inside of me. Something angry, something hot, something painful and fast and powerful. Something that filled me and tensed me and consumed me. The repeated pains slowed, but I didn't notice. I was caught in my own thoughts, feeling the sparks of electricity once soothing on me now sharp, angry, whipping around, reacting to my anger._

_ Why? That was a question he never answered. Why? Why!...Because he didn't want me to know. Because he didn't care. He wanted me to just vanish in his closet like an old toy. That's all I was. I would live for all of eternity with just my memories keeping me alive, with a hollow existance of this? This was all I was meant for?..._

_I don't think so._

_ "You want to play with me? You want to cast me out and expect me to lye down and play dead?"I spat to Manny, my arms still wrapped around my knees and my face pointed down. The stones had stopped, just a nervous rustling around me as the air whipped around the forest, answering my anger with its own interpretation. Trees creaked as they tried to stay rooted, leaves rustled angrily and ferociously as my hair whipped around, the wind stinging my face as the sparks shot out from me like a massive flame._

_ I moved, pushing myself up and barely feeling the pain I should have been. There was something numbing me, something strong and slightly overwhelming, filling me like an earthquake, shaking my muscles and rushing in my ears. Anger licked up my gut and I shook, fists clenched and more blood trailing wet-like down my temple. _

_"Wh-what?"A little creaky voice asked, laced with fear as I heard scampering all around me. I didn't speak to him, but to Manny. Because, if I was going to fall from his grace, he was going to fall from mine._

_"I'll show you just how 'dead' I'm gonna be."I growled darkly, and saw the creature standing right in front of me, twisted tree-limbs and toothless maw._

_ I couldn't remember much, just seeing this creature, the one that had once abused me now shaking in fear and, eventually crying out in pain. I unleashed all of it on him, every last ounce of it upon this creature and more. It was flashes of yellow and anger and red and the snapping of twigs. Slashes of sparks dancing in my eyes as I attacked, focusing not on the poor thing in front of me, but the Moon that watched me. He was seeing this, that's all I wanted._

_ Afterwards I didn't even spare the creature a second glance, taking off immediatly in a haze of fury and confusion and guilt and tears, streaming down my face in anger and pain as it finally set in. I wasn't thinking, so I went to the only place I could go without my mind leading me there. _

_ I landed on the ground in a circle of stones, on the other side of the circle standing a massive house made of stone, craggly and malformed. It looked as if someone had taken a mansion and melted it like wax, growing unevenly out of the ground with a cave-like opening for the front door, latin carvings on parts of it. I moved, pressing my back against one of the taller rocks in the circle in front of the house, pulling into myself again and crying, aching all over._

_ I knew what I'd just done would condemn me for the rest of my eternity. But it didn't feel like a mistake. I could live forever with people stepping on me and ignoring me, or I could be strong and feared and have them know my name. It was the one way to get back at the Man in the Moon. He wanted me to dissapear? I'd do the exact oppisite. I wouldn't take this anymore...I couldn't..._

_There was a quiet 'woosh', a momentary darkness before it faded back into a mild glow from the stars. I paused, not knowing, wondering what he would think, if he would condemn me, too..._

_"...God, what happened to you girl?"Pitch's whisper came, tender and laced with a growl of worry. I felt his hands on my bare arms and, for a reason I did not know, I broke down. I began to cry, clenching my teeth as tears streamed down my face in a ceasless progression, keeping my eyes closed as Pitch stiffened._

_ "Nightlight..."He whispered tragically, and his hands moved so gently over me, tenderly guiding me to him, that none of the still-aching bruises were given any extra sting. I buried my face in his chest, his arms wrapping protectively around me with one hand stroking short locks, the other tenderly around my shoulders. I shook and cried, with no real reason why, gripping his cloak tightly in my hands._

_ After a few moments, Pitch's voice travelled down to me, soft, almost as if he were afraid he'd scare me away._

_"Who did this to you?" I gulped a few times, tears stopping as my breath began to regulate again, drying my face on the back of my right hand that was still firmly gripping the cloak. Finally, I muttered weakly,_

_"...The Fall Spirits."_

_"...This isn't the first time, is it?" I slowly shook my head, closing my eyes and resting my aching head against his chest, breathing in the smell of ash and cold. He was silent for a moment, feeling his body tense and him pull me to him tighter, one hand's thumb absentmindedly stroking a bruise on my shoulder, easing some of the pain._

_Finally, after a few minuets,_

_"How long?" I struggled to keep the pain down as I mummbled out,_

_"...Ever since I was rejected."_

_ I heard a sharp intake of breath, hearing his heart begin to beat quicker, feeling anger radiate off of him and momentarily wondering if it were directed towards me. Next, though, he said in a dark, furious tone,_

_"They'll pay. Dearly."_

_"But...The Man in the-"_

_"You know as well as I how much I despise that man, even without your reasons influencing me. Sooner or later I'll detach myself from him for good. Now, though, I couldn't give less of a damn. They hurt you. Only I am allowed to do that."He said quietly, and I gave a weak laugh._

_"How?"I asked, wondering what he could possibly do. His hand trailed down my spine, softly and soothingly._

_"I'll...speak with them. And make sure that if they do this again, I'll be able to contact them without trouble. For now, though, let's heal these wounds."_

_~Present~_

Jack was silent for a moment, just staring up at the clouds, me having thought the last part with Pitch to myself, finding no need to elaborate on any intimate moment between Pitch and I to Jack. To be honest, even thinking about it seemed to hurt. The memory of what we had always did, it always had. But recently, whenever that pain surfaced, it seemed a bit more dull than last time. As if it were going away... and each time it was followed by a better memory, a sweeter one. One with an overstuffed house pet.

"That's wrong."Was Jack's only reply, and I shrugged.

"It's in the past. Who cares now?"I mused, tossing it aside.

"Yeah, cuz you've got us now!"Jack exclaimed, suddenly chipper. I laughed, him not knowing how greath that felt, and nodded.

"Oi!"A call broke through the space between us and the floor, and I rolled my eyes, flipping over lazily and starring down at Bunny. He had his paws on his hips and an eyebrow raised, trying to look stern when I knew he'd heard every word I'd just said. I didn't know what it was, but a disturbing development had occured. I could tell whenever he was near me, a slight change in my atmosphere, a tingling sensation in my chest. I knew he'd been eavesdropping, and I could see a slight darkness in his eyes.

And I'd never wanted to read his mind more.

"Oi."I called back lazy, playing cool as he rolled his eyes at me.

"Frostbite, why aren't ya wrappin' presents?!"He shouted up, and Jack called back in a whining voice,

"Phil kicked me out!" Bunny narrowed his eyes and muted,

"I don't even wanna know why. Sheila, do yer job at least!"

"I did! All that's left to do is put lights on the tree!"I defended myself, and the Pooka pointed a paw to the tree.

"Then bloody do it! Christmas is in four bloody days!"He exclaimed, and I audibly groaned, Jack darting away after muttering something about 'here they go again'. I moved, looking at the tree and analyzing it for a second, silently as I began to envision what it was going to look like. I took into consideration everything: The shape, height, ornament placement, color. What would go best where.

When it came down to lights, I was serious. It was like an art to me, as important as Bunny's eggs. After a few moments, I got it, clicking in my mind like a camera as I began to smile, an energy buzzing in my veins.

"Oi! Whatcha doin' sheila, ain't ya gonna get the lights?"Bunny called up, and I smiled mischeviously down at him, winking.

"Please, it's me we're talking about here."I said confidently to his confused face, and then focused back on the tree. Excitement filled me as I braced myself, pulling my knees up as I held both hands out to my sides, sparks ticking along my palms and down my fingers. I breathed in and, imagining how I wanted them, took off like a bolt of lightning.

I shot in wide circles around the tree, slowly spiralling down and up if I missed one or two, re-organizing them quick as a whip until I was finally at the bottom, the crack and pop of electicity dulling as I flew backwards, looking up with a pride in my chest at what I'd done.

"..Crikey."Bunny said quietly, and I shoved down the sparks that tried to dance across my face in a blush, looking up at the tree in my own amazement. The lights weren't like the store-bought ones, not one wire showing, and bright without being blinding. It almost looked like yellow-and-white glitter, glittering on and off, each one, creating almost a helter-skelter rippling effect all over the tree, like it wore a dress of lights and was dancing, letting the fabric shimmer.

It highlighted the ornaments perfectly, and a few were scattered along the star at the top, dusting it lightly with a glow. Exactly what I'd imagined, beautiful-

"Uhgh."I groaned, a dizziness slamming into me and swirrling my world, my mind reeling as I lost my balance and fell backwards. Everything blacked out for a second as I felt every bit of energy in my body drop, falling like a sack of bricks as the vertigo made me feel sick and woozy.

Before I hit the ground, I felt two strong arms wrap around me, a voice calling out,

"Bloody hell, Boston!" I shook my head weakly, barely keeping myself upright as I turned and gripped onto Bunny's arms, his hands supporting my back as I closed my eyes against the nausia. My knees slowly stopped rocking, the odd blackness fading away but the energy not returning fast or in as much quantity as I used to have, leaving a tingling all over my body, as if my limbs had fallen asleep.

The glowing warmth in my chest seemed to grow weaker, if just a bit, but dangerously so. I tried to fight down the momentary fear of it and focus on getting myself together.

"...Pushed yerself a bit too hard, sheila."Bunny said, for once not mocking me. I slowly nodded, squeezing my eyes as I got a headache, feeling like a nail was being driven into my temples. I groaned and gripped Bunny's arms tighter, momentarily feeling the muscles under the fur as his arms wrapped tighter around me, sparks igniting very weakly under my jacket.

I felt a sense of protection wash over me, tingling up my neck.

"Totally worth it. Look at that tree. That's a bitchin' tree."I defended, and felt Bunny try his hardest to surpress a bout of laughter, letting a few hard chuckles slip out before he said,

"A'right, as thrilled as North'll be ta see yer decorating, ya can't push yerself like that. Get some sleep, it's gettin' late anyway." As much as I wanted to argue, the prospect of sleep sounded like heaven. I slowly nodded, hearing a flurry of wing beats as Tooth and Jack both called out,

"Boston!" I winced at the noise, the headache turning into a migrane. Bunny must have seen, because he looked back at them and snapped,

"Oi, keep it down!...Sandy...Sandy she's..."I could spy a groggy-looking Sandy behind Bunny flashing images of concern as fast as he could across his head, yawning and trying to keep alert and worried. Finally, I felt two soft pads against my ears, muffling Bunny's voice as he snapped,

"Oi! Shut yer trap...er sand...fer a bloody second! The gumby used too much energy to light the tree, she jus' needs a few blinks! Now get yer motherin' arses back to work!"

The others looked up at the tree, and I felt a bit of pride well back up as they gasped, eyes growing wide.

"Wow, that's beautiful!"Tooth exclaimed, and smiled softly at me. Bunny removed his paws from my ears as Tooth said, in an exaggerated whisper, "But don't use too much energy, we need you to stay strong until North finds a way to find that spirit, okay?" I could only nod at this point, the others beaming and shooting back to work, Sandy lethargically waving and heading to the couch.

A small bit of guilt struck me, though his being affected was out of my control.

"C'mon then."Bunny said suddenly, and I felt myself get picked up bridal-style, only ignoring it because of the sudden wave of nausiating vertigo.

"Slow it down, Fluffy!"I snapped, and he laughed. The bastard did it on purpose! I would have shocked him if I had the strength to at the time, just managing a glare as he quickly, yet purposefully smoothly, hopped up the stairs and quickly down the hall, only stopping when we reached the door to my room. He balanced me enough to reach forward and quickly open the door, throwing it inwards and slowly carrying me in.

And the only thing that distracted me from the warmth of Bunny's chest seeping through my jacket, lulling me into a more sleep-like state, was seeing my room for the first time. I'd slept in it last night, but I was so exauhsted that I hadn't paid attention to anything, and in the morning Jack was so anxious to have me answer questions that he all but shoved me out.

Now, though, I actually looked at it as Bunny flicked the light on. And when I say lights, I mean _LIGHTS._ They were embedded across every surface on the walls and ceiling, looking like a cobblestone-decoration, except with little, circular lightbulbs glittering like the night sky. The carpet was a bright, beautiful yellow, matching the blankets and pillow on the bed under the window with bright yellow curtains pulled back to reveal the quickly-falling night sky.

I paused for a moment, just looking at it in pure astonishment. And then something filled me, something...something warm, surprising, and almost tear-jerking, as I realized what this was.

"..This...this is for me?"I asked, voice shaking as I tried to cover it up.

"You betcha."Bunny said, a smile in his voice, "North has rooms fer all of the Guardians. All decorated to our tasts." I gave a confused look, not taking my eyes off the beautiful, multitude of lights all over the room.

"But I'm not a Guardian."I mused, as Bunny began walking again towards the bed, saying as he began to pull back the covers with a foot,

"Yer close enough ta us, sheila." I didn't lay down. I couldn't, I just...I looked around the room. My room. They...they made me a room... They made me a place to stay. Like...like a home. I felt a prickling behind my eyes, but I fourced it down, not about to let any of them ever see me cry again, but at the same time completely overwhelmed with just how...how _amazing _ this was.

They had no idea how much this would ever mean to me. No one had ever, ever given me a room or a home, not since Pitch, and even then...this was different. Because...because I felt a sense of belonging, of acceptance, for the first time in two thousand years. I was breathless, speechless.

"...Like it?"Bunny asked, and I could only nod once, barely stuttering out,

"Y-yeah...yeah I really do..."

"Good, now g'night sheila."Bunny said, walking away as I finally succumbed to exauhstion and laid down, rolling onto my side as Bunny flicked off the lights with a switch next to the door...

"Bunny."

"Ay?"

"...Is that what I think it is?"

"..Yep."

"You're such an ass."

"Thought ye'd like it. G'night!" He called back, shutting the door, the only light left being the dull moonlight pouring over me through the window, strangely calming now that my hatred towards Manny was severely dulled, that almost fatherly feeling slowly ebbing back...

...And the light from the small, softly glowing nightlight in the wall, in the shape of a skyscraper. I pulled the covers up to my chin, looking at it as I slowly closed my eyes in the comfort of the moonlight, reminding myself to take out the nightlight...tomorrow, maybe. For now it could stay. But just because I was too tired to do anything!

I slept slowly, dreaming about Boston Harbor and painting eggs.


	4. Healing With You

_-At the North Pole- Boston's p.o.v***_

_"What's that?"_

_"Ginger Tea from China, would you like some?"_

_"Not that you ass, the suspicious-looking item in your other hand."_

_"Hm? Oh, just a little...house key."_

"SHEILA!" I snapped upright so fast that I felt my forehead come in contact with something hard, groaning as a yelp sounded out in the room. I cursed loudly, rubbing my forehead as I tried to catch my mind up with my body, confused and half-asleep. Slowly, I opened my eyes, not needing to adjust to the massive quantities of light around my room(which still felt odd to say), and looked to where the shout had come from.

"E. Aster effing Bunnyming!"I shouted, sparks igniting around me as he sat on the floor, rubbing his nose as I was rubbing my forehead. I quickly pieced everything together, the whole mess rushing back in one wave as well as the odd situation I was currently in. I glared at Bunny and shouted, "Were you watching me sleep?"

His head snapped up immediatly, and I wished I'd had a camera for the look on his face. His eyes went wide and his mouth shut, ears flat back against his head as I almost caught a blush past the thick fur on his face. The only thing that made the whole look more adorable was his accent thickening, stumbling over words as he defended shakily,

"N-nah! I-I jus' ha' ta'...ta' wake ya up! C-cuz North's gotta g-get mo'a supplies fer f-food cuz some elves got their mit on tha cake batta' an...an...anhedoesn'wan'yaherealonean'tha'otha'sa'offdoin'theirjobssoyagottacometathaW arren!"

...I paused, having lost him the second he started talking, let alone that jumbled mess at the end, only catching the word 'Warren'. Tilting my head to the side, I gave him a confused look, seeing him panting a bit as he looked at me.

"Bunny, I know English isn't your best subject, but could you at least try to sound intelligable?"I asked, and he froze a little more before clearing his throat, brushing himself off and standing up, discreetly raising his ears again as he straightened up and tried to act cool after what might have been the cutest thing I'd seen since 'little-bunny'.

"One a' the elves ate the entia' bloody kitchen, an' North's gotta go ask Hal O. if he's got any leftova' junk food fer tha' party."Bunny explained, and I lightened a bit, raising an eyebrow.

"Hal's gonna be at the party? Sweet. Pun intended."I mused calmly, thinking now that I might not completely avoid the party filled with spirits who all bore grudges against me and my harmless antics. Bunny raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, something in his eyes I couldn't quite place.

"Ya know tha guy? Thought every spirit hated ya."He mused, completely innocently until he realized how crude that sounded, and quickly became flustered again, "Not tha' they should! I mean...well I didn't mean-" I cut him off by laughing, shaking my head as he quickly snapped his mouth shut and placed his arms awkwardly by his sides.

I waved him off and explained calmly, throwing the blanket off of me and sitting cross-legged,

"Nah, they all do. But I've been around a hell of a lot longer than you, and before anyone was given actual titles by the others I called all of the seasonal people 'spirits', the ones with holidays 'figures', and the rest like Pitch or myself were 'those ones that mortals don't really know about'."

"So the 'figures' an' whateva' else those others were like ya?"Bunny asked quizzically and I snorted comically and shoot my head,

"Oh hell no."I deadpanned, Bunny's face falling into a frown as I went on, "What I meant was that the spirits were the ones who made their hate the most known. They were the little guys, they loved to see one of the people above them fall. The figures, like you and North, knew about me and didn't exactly like me, but I would say you guys 'hated' me..."I trailed off, wondering secretly if that were the case.

And I was surprised with how fast Bunny responded.

"'Course not."He said, as if it were ridiculous, and I gave him a mildly surprised look. "Ya weren' on our list a people we wanted ta have bloody 'tea time' with, but we we're not like tha' spirits. If ya have a holiday, tha's a pretty big bloody responsibility. We're more mature than ta jus' hate someone without a reason."He explained, and I felt slightly put at ease. They'd never hated me. That was some shocking news.

"Anyhow,"Bunny asked slightly suspiciously, "Howdaya know Hal?" I smiled and recalled probably...no, _absolutely _ the only person who I might have had an inkling of considering my friend back when it was just me and Pitch, and then just me.

"He was created right after me, about two-thousand years ago. Pitch was making a bit deal about him, because before he became all 'lord of all darkness/Voldemort' on me, Pitch was supposed to keep fear in check. Halloween just sent it all out of control, especially back then when everything was unknown and terrifying to people. Personally, I liked the guy, he sounded pretty fun.

"He kinda did his thing and then, once a year, would do his job. Other than that he was pretty free, didn't need to prepare much. People kinda make up new fears for him. That's how I met him, anyways. When I was rejected it seemed like everyone knew everything about me, like when a celebrity dies and everyone suddenly buys their albums, including my birthday."

"Don' tell me. Yer birthday's Halloween?"Bunny asked, and I nodded calmly. He buried his face in one of his paws and mummbled, "Why am I not surprised?"

"Shut it, Cottontail."I shot back playfully, leaning against the cold window. "Anyway, the guy took some pity on me and gave me a pumpkin with a lightning bolt carved in it for a birthday present. Haven't seen him in a few hundred years, maybe I'll actually go to this party." Bunny scoffed and said,

"Please, as if ya had a choice, North don't let any Guardian miss this. It's his time ta brag 'bout his holiday bein' the best thing since sliced bloody bread..."Bunny mummbled angrily, and I raised an eyebrow at him. He quickly snapped out of it and waved a paw in the air, saying quickly, "But ya got me distracted! Tha's not why I'm here.

"The otha's are gone doin' their jobs, North's gettin' food, an' tha' leaves me ta babysit ya." I gave an overly-dramatic groan and fell onto my side, burying my face in a pillow as I moaned out,

"But you're booooring!"

"Don' act like Jack! Yer 2,682 years his senior!" I rolled my head so I could look at him and glared, saying,

"Don't make me sound old, that makes me a cougar." Oh Manny, his face...just priceless. I laughed as his ears shot down faster than lightning and rolled onto my back, convulsing in laughter as he stuttered out,

"J-jus' c'mon! I gotta get back ta tha' Warren an' make sure tha sentenials a' keepin' it in check!" I could barely manage out a nod as I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, walking up to Bunny and smirking, crossing my arms.

"Alright, but don't pull any of that 'knight in shining armor crap', I can get through the tunnels on my own."I explained, my pride still a bit damaged after he had to carry me to my room last night. He got an amused look on his face that I wanted to rip right off as he shrugged and said, with a suave look that was too attractive to completely infuriate me,

"Ya liked it an ya know it."

"I did no-AAAHHHH!"I swore someday I would get used to being dropped through the floor without warning. Today was just not that day. I tumbled down, rolling head-over-heels more times than I could keep track before two arms wrapped around me, moving to carry me bridal-style as we rocketed down the tunnel.

I was silent, crossing my arms and looking poutily at the dirt walls as they blurred past us.

"...Shut up."I finally mummbled, only earning a quiet chuckle of victory from the Pooka as we, mere seconds later, burst into brilliant sunlight, crunching over soft grass as I was, once again, caught slightly off-guard by the beauty of the Warren. It was just as I remembered it, brilliant greens and rainbow colors and blues, the sun brighter here than anywhere I'd ever seen, a nice, slight breeze.

Bunny slowly set me down and said, in a stern voice,

"Now jus' go sit somewhere. I'mma go make sure the place is a'right, then we head right back to the Pole, unda'stand?" I rolled my eyes and nodded, looking around as he turned and shot off like a bat out of hell, gone in a blur of blue and grey and leaving me alone in the quiet Warren. I shoved my hands into the jacket pockets and walked around, my boots crunching on the lush, wet-green grass.

I felt a bit...concerned. Not about the Warren, but something much more vital to, oh I don't know, my life. The first few times I'd woken up from sleeping, I hardly noticed the dimming of the glowing warmth in my chest, the source of my power nuzzled deep inside of me. Now, though, the slow dying was much more apparent. I felt like the edged of my chest cavity were whithering, a small sense of weakness away from the center of the glow, where I assumed my heart was. It was dying at the same rate, but after a week things were becoming serious.

I sighed, trying to shove down my worry as I wantered through bridges, hopped over stones in colored creeks, and hiked up small hills, trying to clear my mind. Finally I sat down, plopping my butt on the stone wall of a bridge, giving me a nice view of the area around the bright yellow pool, seeing some hills and trees on the other side of the massive pond, a few bright green trees that didn't seem to be any species I'd ever seen: medium-height with lush, longer-than-normal leaves that arched down, almost like a short wheeping willow, bending in odd ways, as if grown to give the perfect amount of shade.

I recalled awhile ago, when I'd painted my first and last Easter eggs. Granted, they weren't works of art, but it wasn't fair to compare it to what that damned Pooka could do! It still surprised me, that someone as..as..._Bunnymund, _ as Bunnymund was, could be so gifted when it came to something like art. The delicate lines and stunning detail put into each one was still stuck in my mind, like I'd taken a photo of it. And part of me wished I had, but not of the eggs.

Of his face when he was painting, how his tongue stuck out a bit in concentration, his eyebrows furrowed down over his eyes that seemed to shine brighter when he was painting, as if given special attention. How his ears bent back slightly, and his paws moved unlike paws, but not quite like hands. How he seemed to forget everything but that egg in his hands, and watching him...it was almost like I was seeing something no one else got to see.

And then I decided I thought about Bunnymund way too much. But everytime I tried to think of something else...that something else was either Birchley or Pitch. Birchley just got me worried and pissed off, and Pitch...it made me sad, thinking about how we ended up, thinking about how he was now in the underground cave network he'd moved into once he, too, fell from Manny, weak and beaten. Sad because...

Because we'd been through too much together to let it all go. I was damaged more from Pitch than any spirit attack I'd ever endured, because those were just bruises that healed in a day or two. But all the soft, discreet touches, the words, the jabs, the banter, the _feelings_ ...it was something different. It was something special, what we had. Granted, it was phsycotic and dysfunctional with the two most dangerous and violent entities in the world...but it was close to perfect.

And getting over that was going to be harder than waiting a few days. Over the past eight months, I worried that it would never get better, the pain that I felt from finally letting go of what should have died ages ago would never get better... So what had changed? Why did I feel like, slowly, things were getting...almost better. That the pain was easing just a bit and being replaced by something better?...

I knew the answer immediatly. It came so fast that I was shocked...and then terrified, just as every revelation I had about this person made me. Utterly vunerable and frightened. What had changed between fighting this on my own and now?

E. Aster Bunnymund.

"Will you look at that..."I whispered...

_-Bunnymund's p.o.v-_

I was gonna go and tell her that we could leave. I really was. But she had to go and...and...look so damn beautiful! There, happy?! She looked bloody stunning, sitting on the short stone wall of the bridge with her chin in her palm, elbow resting on her knee and the other arm laying lazily over her leg, the sun reflecting off of her hair, the glow still a bit more muted than before but still surprisingly bright. Her eyes were as stunning as they were the first day I'd seen them, lids a bit closed in thought as the bright yellow-gold near the pupil made my heartbeat irregular every bloody time I saw them, every time they were focused on me...

And I seriously needed to stop thinking about her. It was unhealthy, it was ridiculous, her blatantly saying that my...feelings...towards her were too much for her to handle at the moment. Which I understood! The sheila had been through absolute hell, making me think back to her talking to Jack about what happened to her all those years ago, when she finally snapped and fought back.

Part of me was jealous that she'd shared this with Jack, but I'd been too scared to ask, too scared that it was a memory she didn't want to relive. Apparently I wasn't above eavesdropping, though, and I'd listened. And, as much as I'd liked to play down what she used to go through...I couldn't deny that it had been creul. That the spirits could treat her like that.

But what Boston didn't understand was that this was thousands of years ago. Hell, I'd admit freely back then that the weather spirits were a bunch of bratty-ass gumbies that I'd knocked around more than a few times. But they were older now, all of them(sparing Jack), and I'd witnessed a massive turn in their behavior from then to now. Maybe they still weren't above hating her, but I didn't know one of them that would resort to violence anymore.

Maybe she'd be able to figure that out at the party...which I seemed to be looking forward to less now that I knew about her and Hal. It was ridiculous, before I say anything. Ridiculous that I'd feel even a bit jealous when clearly they were just friends, and knowing Boston probably just barely even that! But part of me was...protective. Very protective, because I knew that she'd fought and survived on her own, but I didn't want her to have to do that anymore-

"Will you look at that..."She mummbled, and I looked over to where her gaze fell, seeing nothing having changed. Whatever she was thinking about must be pretty important... I shook my head and decided it was time to come out of hiding. I hopped up, her so lost in thought she didn't even see me. I managed to get right next to her, smirking as an idea formed.

I leaned forward, dedicated to win this little 'game' of ours, and whispered right in her ear,

"Look at what, exactly?" She jumped, not 'yelping' like she had last time, but something that amazing couldn't happen twice. Instead, she fell backwards onto the bridge and rolled, getting to her feet and not missing a beat, sending a shock right through me faster than I could blink. I jumped at the momentary pain, forgetting everything else and lunging for her.

"You deserved it!"She shouted back, dodging me as I lunged again, her stepping back and laughing, her eyes literally _sparkling_ as she held out her arms, the jacket moving out as she exclaimed, "C'mon, catch me!" I could never, with the kind of pride I had, turn down a challenge for a race. Not even with someone who was slowly dying.

I grinned, seeing her smile widen in return as she quickly shot up into the air, dissapearing in the treeline with a speed I didn't expect. I shot immediatly after her, moving so fast that the grass crunched after I'd passed over it, the trees a blur as she came back into view. She looked back, and I was surprised to see her face completely calm, even at the speed she was going. Sparks ignited off her body, some traveling beside her and bobbing furiously up and down, propelling her foreward.

"You sure you're a rabbit?"She called, as I struggled to just keep up.

"You sure you're dying?"I shouted back, getting a laugh in return as she turned and shot forward with a burst of energy so large that I had to grind to a halt, sparks shooting backwards and dancing across my face and fur. I called out, whipping away the tickling little things and shaking myself, the sparks flying out and dissipating.

I panted, seeing her completely gone. Oh no, Boston or no, absolutely _no one _ beats E. Aster Bunnymund in a foot-race! I took off again, determined that when I caught her, I'd give her a lesson in martial-arts! The end of the tree-line came up and I burst through, seeing a small, grassy hill, with something laying on the top of it...

My heart immediatly stopped as all the adrenaline in my body vanished, blood running cold as I realized exactly what was at the top of the hill.

"Sheila!"I shouted, bolting forward and up the hill in a second, at her side immediatly and my breath catching at the sight. She lay there, on her stomach, her jacket splayed around her and her face scrunched up in either pain or exertion, trying to push herself up and failing. I immediatly stopped her, turning her over and pulling her to me out of instinct.

"Sheila, just relax, a'right?"I said, sounding more concerned than I wanted to. I sounded downright frantic, but that's because the worst case scenario played through my mind the second I saw how weak she looked, right after waking up from a long sleep. A scenario I would not let happen.

"It...it's getting worse...I think.."She panted out, and I scooped her up, pressing her to me, more for me to know she was with me and therefore safe than to reassure her.

"Ya think? If yer feelin' weak don't pull somethin' like tha, ya gumby!"I scolded her, sounding angry out of worry and fear.

"Whatever, Mother Bunny."She teased, at least able to do that without panting. But it did very little to reassure me. If this had happened this quick, then she was getting worse.

"We're goin' back ta tha Pole, _now!_ "I exclaimed, and took off without her able to get a word in. She remained silent in my arms the whole time, and while we were in the tunnels I felt a shiver run up me, her fingers lacing in my chest fur as her face buried partially in it, looking down to see her sleeping. As much of a relief it was to have her sleeping and recharging, I was still worried. She normally looked serene sleeping, and while this still looked more innocent than normal, it was still a bit labored, her eyes scrunched a bit too tight, body a bit too weak.

The second I burst through the tunnel, I saw North walking out of the kitchen and beaming at me. It fell though, the second he saw my face, probably looking frantic.

"Vat es matter?...Aw, look how cute! She looks like little girl! Phil, get camera-"

"She passed out, North!"I scolded him, interrupting the man as he gave me a surprised look. I panted, still holding her tight as I explained what had happened, expecting a shocked and concerned reaction. Instead, I got something surprisingly better.

North's face lit up and he clapped his hands together, saying coyly and unable to hide the joy in his voice,

"Good thing I have found solution."


	5. Bittersweet

_-Debated on cutting this chapter short so that all of Boston's memories of Pitch would be in the next chapter, but hey, why not make one long chapter of fluff and actual plot development? Enjoy!-_

_-North Pole- Boston's p.o.v***_

"..I'm sorry, the _what?_"I asked, still rubbing sleep from my eyes and looking grumpily over at North, who stood across from me near the island, leafing feverently through a massive, dusty, brown-leather book. Bunny sat next to me...well, _next to me_ doesn't really describe it right. He was damn near plastered against me, his leg right up against mine, his arm sending repeated trails of electricity down my arm through the jacket, his paw wrapped almost absentmindedly around my wrist, as if ready to pull me away from danger.

Though I didn't know what for. The only danger right now was North's gusto as he slammed down the book suddenly, making me jump and sparks shoot out over the kitchen, North paying no attention and Bunny grumpily smoothing the fur on his ears, yet never taking his other hand off my wrist.

"Ze 'Arbor Key'! I found right before you showed up in such panic, Bunny."North said, trying to sound nonchalant but making Bunny tense up, me hiding a smirk as his ears bent back a bit. I focused on what North was saying, having been woken up by his shouting and promptly told that, basically, all of our problems were going to be solved by one little 'Arbor Key'.

He failed, though, to explain exactly what that was to me, though the name sounded painfully familiar...

"What exaclty is it, mate?"Bunny asked, and North's eyes glittered in excitement. I should have been just as excited, more so even, that we'd found what was allegedly a way to get to Birchley and my memories. This, if North wasn't just being a crazy Russian, could save my life that seemed to be in jeapordy everytime I was around these guys.

"Es key group of key Fall Spirits make long time ago! Before Dark Ages!"North exclaimed, waving his hands around dramatically, as if this were the most spectacular thing ever to grace his eggnog-laden mind. I just sat and waited for him to get to the point, free hand holding my chin and my mind yelling at the other not to move, not to obey some instinct I had to move it and hold onto the soft, warm hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Keys are used to open any home of any Fall Spirit, like Master Key! If we can get one, zen we need only to find house of evil, rotten spirit and take back Boston's memories! No? Yes!"North boomed, and for the first time my eyes fell on the open page of the book North had gotten. I narrowed my eyes immediatly, seeing the ink-sketched drawing of a key made entirely of wood, curves and words written in a long-long language etching all over it's intracate body, a key to every house in the Fall Spirit community...

And then it clicked. Where I'd seen it before, that dream I'd had, and suddenly...suddenly a bad feeling settled in my stomach, and I tried to push it away. Tried to push the thought away, of how exactly we could get one of these keys, of what we'd have to do. And, like I did so many times, my mind jumped to the worst possible outcome, the concequence of obtaining one of these keys.

And even if it meant my life, it was far from worth it.

"So why don' we get one a' tha bloody keys?"Bunny demanded as I continued to stare at the book, an expression more calm than I actually felt on my face.

"Es difficult to find, Fall Spirits do not give to anyone outside community unless asked. I know not how we can get one, but-"

"I know where one is."I interrupted calmly, both men stiffening and looking over at me as I felt a small deflation in my chest, and not just because of the rapidly dimming light within me. But because this...this solution, while promising, I would never let happen. The risk was way too great, and what would I gain out of it? Possibly nothing. I could lose possibly everything.

"Where?! An' why didn' ya bloody tell us before?!"Bunny exclaimed, the paw around my wrist tightening a bit. I ignored both of them, looking at the key as a memory replayed in my mind. I barely gave the two any recognition as I explained, speaking more to myself than them as all I recognized was their eyes on me, and the steady tightening of Bunny's paw on my wrist, causing slight pain that I chose to ignore.

"Pitch has it." There was a silence, an odd electric feild emitting from Bunny as I went on, "After I fought back against the other Spirits, Pitch found out exactly what had been happening. He went to their homes, and he never told me exactly what happened, but what he did say was that they wouldn't bother me again. And if they did, he'd know where to find them and how to get into their homes. He showed me this thing right here, but I never knew what it was. I guess now it makes sense."

"...Vell,"North said, almost hesitantly, and had I been paying attention to either of them I would have seen why. I would have seen Bunny tights as a bow, I would have sensed the anger and, possibly, jelousy radiating off of him as his ears bent back for an entirely different reason than embarrasement.

"We know where Boogeyman es...vhy not go and get key? Why have we waited so long?"North asked, trying to sound confident. But, almost as soon as the words had left his mouth, I rebuted them.

"No."I said firmly, and for the first time looked up, seeing North looking surprised.

"No?"

"Why the hell not?"Bunny snapped, and I looked over at him with my own surprise. I hadn't seen the steady progression of anger in his features until now, his eyebrows drawn close and eyes dark, body tight and the grip on my wrist almost tighter. I became defensive out of sheer instinct, not knowing why he was snapping at me or why he was questioning me.

"Don't you think that Pitch has always been an option? He knows exactly where Birchley lives, and he's had the key to his home for thousands of years now. If I wanted to get his help, I'd have gotten it, but I don't want it. I don't want to drag him into this, not in his condition. He's vunerable right now, way too weak for me to put him in any danger."I explained, thinking of how weak he must be now, how even a measly Fall Spirit would be able to hurt him...

"I think he bloody owes it to ya fer what he did!"Bunny snapped, and I felt my eyes widen, body tensing as anger blinded me for a moment. Why was he so angry? Why would he bring up something he knew more about than anyone? I shoved down the small inkling of betrayal in my gut and snapped back,

"He already re-paid that by letting me defeat him so badly that it's gonna take another thousand years for him to recover! Or were you not paying attention?" His eyes narrowed at me, the darker and angrier they got the angrier I became in return, out of confusion and instinct that I hadn't yet recovered from, seemingly worse with it being Bunny, of all people, making me defend myself.

"'Course I bloody was! Couldn't miss that love-fest even if I bloody wanted ta!"He shouted, our voices rising and echoing, his words making me react in a way I'd never reacted to anything before. His words doing something I didn't even think words could do. Never before had words actually _hurt _me. Not even with the things the Fall Spirits shouted at me. Not even with Pitch.

But right now, they were starting to.

"What the hell is your problem?!"I snapped, sparks igniting in a more hostile way than before, a few cracking and popping in the air as I completely ignored North, so lost in this sudden, unexpected release of anger that I didn't notice the door opening, or the other Guardians peeking in nervously. I didn't notice the pick up of electricity in the air, didn't notice how this argument was draining me, didn't notice anything but him.

"My problem? I ain't got a problem, sheila! Yer tha one tha's willin' ta put a man's safety, who's responsible fer me almost losin' ya eight months ago, ahead of yer own bloody life!"

"Who said 'you' almost lost me?!"I snapped back, hearing my voice reach that octive where it begins to sound painfully harsh, but I didn't care. Anyone else and I would have kept my cool. But something about Bunny just made me lose it. I leaned in and shouted, "YOU didn't almost lose me, YOU don't own me!"

"Then why am I tha' only one tha's trying ta save yer life?!"He shouted back, his grip on my wrist tightening.

"Why are you the only one who's blowing up about me wanting to keep Pitch safe?! What's wrong with you, do you really hate him that much?!"I screamed, hearing a quiet wimper somewhere in the room.

"An' if I do?! I have a bloody good reason!"Bunny was now inches from my face, both of us seething with his fur standing on end and electricity popping and sizzling around me.

"What?"I shouted back, a thought coming to my mind and blurting out, the filter dissintegrating with my fury, "You're jealous or something?!" He flinched, pausing a moment with his eyes wide and jaw hanging, ears slowly pulling back against his head. He looked...surprised, guilty almost. Almost. Because in a second it changed into something darker.

He glared, his entire face dark, as if someone had pulled a black sheet over it and revealed nothing short of unadulterated fury. My entire body was tense as he spat, voice dripping with venom,

"Don't ya dare say that. There's nothin' ta be bloody jealous of."It wasn't a scream, it was low, it was angry, and it was meant to hurt. And I couldn't take it anymore.

"Let go of my wrist. You're hurting me."I spat at him, and he showed the slightest sign of surprise before he became hostile again, quickly yanking back his paw as I resisted the urge to massage my wrist. Before anything else could be said, he stood, knocking over the chair with a loud series of clangs and tapping his foot twice.

"Get me when yer done dyin'."He spat, and dissapeared into the floor, the hole closing as the pain from the words sunk in deep. There was a silence, a silence filled with me just sitting there and starring at the floor, wondering if that had just happened. The air buzzed with the draining adrenaline, my body shaking from exauhstion and pain. But this wasn't pain I was used to dealing with.

"...Boston-" I cut Tooth of by jumping to the floor and storming out of the room, shoving past the others at the door and into the overlook, turning without thinking down a hallway and just walking, walking and trying to hold myself together.

"Damn him."I whispered, biting down hard on my lip to surpress the tears welling up behind my eyes. "Damn that fucking Pooka..."I grumbled while biting my lip, walking until I felt myself become weak. Weak because of what I'd just been through, finding a small, cusioned bench in front of a massive window and sitting down on it, facing the giant window and leaning forward.

"It was just a fight..."I whispered angrily, clenching my fists as I voiced my thoughts, mind too filled to do much of anything, "I've been through worse. This wasn't even physical...so why does it hurt so fucking bad?"

"Because you two have a funny way of showing how you care."Tooth's calm voice came, and I looked up for just a second to see her, alone, floating down next to me and giving me a soft, tender look, despite the fact she's just seen me go off on her friend. I just looked at her, but she didn't seem to mind, instead keeping the delicate smile and placing a soft hand on my shoulder for just a moment. She removed it quickly after a gentle squeeze and then looked outside, the sun slowly falling down.

And I didn't know why I blurted this out. Maybe it was because, after everything, I'd become almost open with Tooth. She was truly the only other female I'd talked to since Sophie, the only female spirit/figure ever to give me her attention. Maybe I felt, in some sort of way, that she'd become a big-sister figure to me.

And so, like all emotionally-distraught, angsty teenagers that had come before me, I opened up.

"Bunny's...jealous...of Pitch. Isn't he?"I asked, a bad feeling settling inside of me, as if my romantic life couldn't get any more complicated.

"..Yes."She agreed, and I deflated, burying my face in my hands. Great, the one person who was helping me get over Pitch was pissed off at me because I wasn't yet OVER Pitch. "But..."Tooth continued, "That's what makes it so spectacular."

I turned and gave Tooth a look that wondered if she were truly from another planet, and she caught it after a second, then giggled and exclaimed,

"It is! I've never seen Bunny so incredibly protective over anyone in my life! To be honest, it's kind of cute. Seeing someone as rough as Bunny worrying over something other than eggs." As she spoke, I could feel myself begin to relax. Like...like this was safe. Like this was the chance I needed to get everything out and explain it all, vocally. To someone else.

"I...I care about Bunny."I said, looking out the window as I tried to find the words, "A lot. More than I think I should..."

"What do you mean?"Tooth asked, and I sighed.

"I mean that...Bunny tried to tell me he loved me." I heard Tooth give a small, excited gasp, and I struggled to surpress an amused smile, "But I stopped him."

"Why?"Tooth asked, almost sounding dissapointed. I shook my head and closed my eyes, hanging my head a bit as I tried to explain why I was so incredibly messed up.

"Because he terrifies me. I trust him so damn much that he has every possible way to hurt me, without even meaning to if he wants...like just now, I guess. I didn't want him to say it because that would make it real. Because I'm not ready for that yet. Because..."

"Because you're still recovering from Pitch?" I looked up at her, surprised that Tooth, of all people, could analyze everything in my messed-up existance so well. She gave a small smile and shrugged at my incredolous look, wondering if Tooth knew more than she let on. "So I'm right,"She continued, and I nodded.

"...I can't just drop it...after everything..."I whispered, and felt Tooth lean closer to me.

"Were you and Pitch really that close?"Tooth asked, with a sister-like interest, a much lighter tone. Almost like she wanted to gossip. I chuckled, both at that and her question, immediatly feeling lighter as she did. Now this was a subject I could breach with her. This was simple. This was memories.

"Oh, let me tell you some stories..."

_Two thousand five-hundred years ago_

"Pitch!"

"Bloody hell woman, I'm right next to you!"Pitch's voice snapped, making me jump as I turned to see him appear out of the shadows of the tree next to me, face calm if not mildly annoyed. I immediatly stepped up to him and held out the cylindrical tube in my hand, gold and white and yellow, containing something rather vital to my existance. Something I didn't want nor expect to find in Pitch's home.

"What the hell is this?!"I snapped, and his eyes travelled lazily down at it, eyebrows raised a bit and a bored frown on his face. Without so much as a glance up, he muttered,

"Your memories." As if it were the most simple thing in the world. Frustrated, I smacked him upside the head with the container, him flinching back and glaring, shouting defensively, "So help me, woman, I will have your head as a table ornament!"

"If you live long enough to! Explain to me why you have my, _my, _ memories!"I snapped at him, gripping the cylinder as his face immediatly softened, raising a curious eyebrow. His was remarkably calm, as if he saw nothing odd or wrong about this situation. Completely innocent, if you could use that to describe Pitch. To be honest, it was almost cute in the way that he gave me a childish, calm face.

"To keep them safe."He deadpanned matter-of-factly.

I froze, unable to come up with anything to say, any argument over the matter dying on my tongue at his words. But not just his words. His...sincerety. He was saying it as if this were nothing big, nothing of any importance. As if this weren't the kindest thing, the most amazing thing, anyone had ever done for me. As if it didn't make my heart grow tight and my breath catch, trying to process how he'd done something so...so...

"Is that wrong?"He asked innocently, and I cut him off. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling the man down to me and hugging him tightly. He stiffened, not used to me doing anything other than hitting him or trying(and usually failling) to mess up his hair. Something like this, something intimate, neither of us had experience in a long, long time.

But it felt nice, so his feelings be damned. I wanted to hug the bastard, and so I did. And, after awhile, so did he, wrapping his arms snugly around me and, for the first time, feeling his hands press to my back, feeling how warm he actually was. And how I felt like we belonged like this...

_Two-thousand years ago_

__ "Kill me now."I groaned, slumping in the tall-backed, black chair in front of the black marble fireplace, limply laying the massive volume in my lap.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're immortal."Pitch said without missing a beat, voice calm and teacherly as he sat across from me in an identical chair, holding a black-leathered volume. I rolled my eyes, expecting someone like him to be so engrossed in these new things that people were writing, short things with lines that ended in same-sounding words, sometimes just going on with a sort of rhythm.

"Really? Because in a few minuets I wont be! This is litterally boring me to death. And I already died."I mused, glaring. Pitch barely looked up, flipping a page as he asked nonchalantly,

"Hm, how did that become so, by the way?" I froze, hands gripping the cusion beneath me, the arms of the chair pressing into my elbows as I tried to form words for this question. How did I answer this? I hadn't told anyone since...since...well, since Manny rejected me. And even then, I gave them the vaguest details. Pitch had asked so nonchalantly...he couldn't possibly understand why my memories were so important to me. Why I hadn't breached the subject with anyone.

...And even so, why did I feel...almost warm around him. Almost...protected? Like he was someone I could trust, after all these years of being solitary companions, after everything he'd done for me that I still didn't understand. That I would never understand. This dark man, this man who had no reason to take me in and yet did, this man who made me trust him when I hated all other spirits.

And I wanted to tell him.

"Is something wrong?"He asked, looking up from his book with questioning eyes after my long silence, seeing me as I watched the light flicker over his grey-tinted skin, across his brilliant yellow eyes that almost matched mine. And I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed it before, but...we were compatible in the most backwards of ways. He controlled fears and nightmares. I was the fallen Guardian of Dreams. We were a dysfunctional, messed-up match.

And I trusted this man more than anyone I'd ever met...

"...I was sixteen.."

_One-Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine years ago_

I pushed away a gentle hand, grumbling something as I tried to get back to sleep on the soft, black carpet in front of the warmth of the fire, the light soothing me almost more than anything else.

"Come now, the book couldn't have been so boring you had to take a nap."Pitch scolded tiredly, said book farther away from me as I rolled over, facing the fire and saying dramatically,

"I'm not napping. I told you a year ago, I have been officially bored back-to-life. I hope you feel happy now."

"At least I'll get some peace and quiet."He dismissed, and I quickly sat up, glaring at him where he saw across from me, moving back to sitting in the large chair and picking up his book again. Why he loved it so much I couldn't understand, with the new 'poems' and 'epics' being mainly about dark subjects where there were rarely happy endings, or endings fair to the women in the story.

I leaned back against the leg of my chair, eyes catching, not for the first time, on Pitch. And, not for the first time, my heart skipped a beat. And, not for the first time...I was afraid. Afraid of the man who controlled fears, I knew the irony, but it was the only way I could describe how I felt. Terrified. Because I'd never felt towards him how I had felt towards anyone, ever. Safe. Protected. I trusted him, trusted him so much...

Like so many nights, I sat and watched his face become focused on his book, features calm and scholarly-looking, eyes serious as they scanned the pages, the light flickering in them and over his smooth skin, mouth in a concentrated frown. He always looked so calm, so regal, while reading. And I loved that, this little moment when he was truly something else, something not even the Man in the Moon got to see.

If he could see this, would he feel towards Pitch how I did? If that bastard all the way up there actually took the time to get to know us, would he stop treating us like we were pieces in a game? Maybe, but I didn't want to dwell on that right now. Not when I was here, and not when I was deciding that if I spent eternity sitting here and staring at him, it wasn't going to help me figure out what this was I was feeling.

And eternity was way too long for my attention span.

Slowly, I stood up, my tank top riding up a bit, just below my scar. Pitch didn't glance up once, not until I moved and sat straddling his lap, my legs bent so I was sitting on his thighs and my feet. He paused, looking up calmly and inquisitively, sighing in an amused way.

"Are you so bored that you've taken to making me your new chair? Or is this payback for saying that I'd get peace and quiet if you died?"He asked, and I shook my head, feeling something funny happen in my chest that was both pleasent and uncomftorble, like a bittersweet pain. He sighed and continued,

"Good, because I believe that, even if you could die, your ghost would still pester me for all of eternity." I continued to just sit there, looking at his face, thinking. This man, this grey-skined, black-haired, yellow-eyed, sharp-witted man that took me in when others would rather shun my existance, or worse, this man that made a warmth blossom in my chest, made my heart tight, made my blood pulse.

"Pitch..."I tried, trailing off as his eyes connected with mine and completely silenced me. My breath caught, seeing something entirely new in them, as if our eyes were conveying everything we couldn't find the words to say out loud. A secret messege between just us, something we never expected. Things communicated silently. Words. Emotions. Questions. Fears. Promises.

And in one quick moment, everything changed.

Pitch forgot about the book in his lap, pushed against his stomach with me in his lap. He reached a hand up and gently brushed it across my neck, lacing his fingers into the short locks on the nape of my neck, applying a gentle, coaxing pressure, leading my head towards his. Our foreheads touched, looking into each other's eyes as Pitch's other hand rested ghostingly on my jaw, thumb running along my cheek as the back of my neck prickled.

And he chuckled, seeing sparks dance quickly across my cheeks and the bridge of my nose, me still just holding on, hands on my knees and trying my hardest not to do something stupid.

"...You will truly be the death of me."He whispered, chuckling at himself, eyeslids dropping as he leaned up, gently nudging my face upwards with his own. And for the first time, and certainly not the last, we kissed. His lips gently met mine, soft and cool, and for a second I closed my eyes and pressed close, understanding what this meant and at the same time having no clue what it was leading to.

I understood that this was starting something amazing.

I had no idea it was leading to something tragic.

_Nine Hundred and Six Years Ago_

The shadows twisted around him, traveling over open craters and scarred Earth, someplaces still billowing grey smoke like chimneys, everything eerily quiet for the war that had just taken place. I could barely bring myself to look at him, the pain so horrible that I was surprised I wasn't bleeding. But not from any physical wound. An emotional wound. One I felt would never close, because it was tearing a chasm in my heart, a scar so deep it would never close up, bleeding for the rest of my life as I watched the man I once cherished pant and give me a twisted smile, one hollow of how he used to be.

I crouched on the ground, panting and covered in dirt and rapidly-healing wounds. He lay in front of me, upper body propped up by the up-turned lip of a crater, and I wondered how he could look so calm when I felt so horribly wounded. And I wondered how he could look like this, when he used to look so...so different. And I wondered what had happened to us. And I wondered why, after all he'd done, I still felt that part of me was so tied to him that that part was going to dissapear to regenerate with him. That he stole part of me and abused it.

"...It's so...so tragic...you could have been...so promising...my little Nightlight..."He said in a strained and panting voice, my heart almost audibly tearing in two, the pain wracking my body. But I'd gone through this pain since the start of his change. Since all of this had happened. And there was one reason why I was still here, still letting him get whisked away by these shadows.

"Children."Was all I needed to say, almost catching a look as the shadows completely enveloped him, almost catching a look of regret, but that couldn't be right.

And I wondered if I'd ever heal again.

_Present_

Tooth sighed as I finished, looking out the window as she looked at me.

"So.."She asked, quietly and curiously, "If you and Pitch were so close..not that I'm saying this is a bad thing...but why is this whole thing going on, between you and Bunny?"

I chuckled, and let a smile form onto my face. Because the explination, as I'd realized as I thought about everything Pitch and I had gone through, was an amazing one.

"Pitch and I had something beautiful."I said quietly.

"So how...?" I leaned up a bit, uncrossing my legs and musing, for once a good feeling in my chest,

"Because I chose Bunny. And that's erasing the pain, little by little."

Silence was filled with us sitting and looking out the window, smiles eventually on both our faces.

"I should go get him."I sighed, turning and swinging my legs to the other side of the bench, standing up as Tooth fluttered into the air.

"You sure your'e okay to go? Not too weak?"She immediatly began mothering me again, and I rolled my eyes, groaning.

"No, I'm fine. I'll bring a snowglobe, I know where he is anyway."I threw over my shoulder as I pulled the snowglobe I kept out of my pocket, adding in after I threw the globe and had one foot in the portal, "Oh, and tell the others I'm sorry about that fight, and that Mommy and Daddy are okay." I heard her giggle as I threw myself through the portal, the momentary blast of colors fading as I quickly reached the other side, stepping into a darkened Warren.


	6. This I Promise You

_-OMGOMGOMG I'm sooooo sorry that this took so long! I've have a highschool play for this past week and have been getting home at like 11pm(Literally just did my last one and jumped on the computer to update) and I'd rather give you guys the amazing chapters you deserve than a crappy one when I'm half-asleep. I love you for waiting so long! Songs I suggest you listen to during this chapter: Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard. Near to You by A Fine Frenzy-_

_-The Warren- Boston's p.o.v****_

I wasn't used to a dark Warren. Didn't like it, didn't like the feel, didn't like the look. It was supposed to be glowing, lit up by the sun highlighting the vibrant colors in the trees and the long, lush grasses, the color ponds shimmering in a rainbow assortment of colors. But now it wasn't like that, wasn't like that at all. It was dark, everything muted and shushed, like it was sleeping and taking a break from its vibrancy. Now, instead of the Warren, it cast dark bleak shadows and hid details normally highlighted. Now, it looked more like a graveyard without headstones.

Empty. It seemed so...empty. And not just because the little eggs were off and sleeping. Not just because the giant, stone egg sentenials were resting a ways away, having given me a glance before realizing I wasn't a threat. Nothing here, I knew somehow, deep in my heart. Nothing here. Not even Bunny. I sighed in defeat, having traversed the entire Warren before ending back where I began.

And part of me was becoming nervous. Not for talking to Bunny, but for Bunny himself. Eight months ago I wouldn't even be here. I would have left, have gone my own way without sparing him a second thought, no regret, no guilt, no bone-rattling fear that he was in danger. But I felt all of that now, in every fiber of my being, and I began to panic. How had I gone eight months of this? Of being so away from them, not knowing if they were okay or not.

Because I'd protected him one damn time, and now it was all I could do. Maybe Manny didn't make such a bad decision after all. I looked up to the aformentioned man, shining down on the Warren as the only dim lightsource, a soft beam falling on me, almost comforting though it didn't work to ease my nerves. I pulled out the snow globe and called up to him,

"It would help if you at least showed me where he was."

And for the first time, he answered.

I froze for a second, looking down as the snowglobe began to glow like a lightbulb, raising it to eye-level as the insides switched from a snow-covered Santoff Claussen into something else, the images shifting like shadows or snowmen until they finally formed a very, very familiar scene. And I sighed.

"Great, _now _you listen to me. I swear, that asshole's lucky I chose him."I muttered, the moonlight actually flickering around me, as if Manny were laughing. I looked up at him and glared, shouting, "Don't think this means you're off the hook!" Again, the light flickered, and I huffed. I'd deal with one horribly irritating spirit at a time.

I threw the snowglobe and watched it open up the portal, walking calmly through as the sententials paid me little attention, guarding the Warren as I left it and stepped down on the other side of the portal. The night shone bright, Manny having followed me on my journey, silver beams filtered through a thick treeline above me. The forest was silent, thick, whispering.

Only two figures stood here at this time of night. One standing and watching, the other with their back turned and arms crossed. Both silent, both still. Both secretly watching the other. I looked at him, at the navy-blue tattoos going down his back, at the brown sling over his shoulder, at his height, at _him_. And I tried to imagine a world where I never saw any of these things ever again. And I realized with terrifying clarity, that this wasn't a world I wanted to live in.

"Get out. I came here ta be alone."Bunny snapped bitterly, but I didn't move. As much of a blow as his words dealt, I didn't move. And he knew that. I saw his body tense, saw his fur bristle as I looked at where he was standing.

"Don't move."I instructed calmly. And, somehow, this set him off, like a trigger I didn't mean to pull. He snapped, turning around and glaring at me like he had before. But this time I took it all without talking, let his words fill me and scar me and wound me. Because I didn't want to make it worse. Because I wanted him to get it out of his system. Because part of me felt I desereved it.

"Ya think ya can jus' boss me aroun'?! Like every word ya say I bow ta like a bloody dog?! As if it were your decision ta go get tha' gumby's help or not! It's yer life an' yer thowin' it away, well fine! Don' think I care about your life! Don' think I give a bloody damn! Don' think tha' anythin' I said that night eight months ago meant anythin'!" I remained stoic and stone-faced, looking measured at him, making sure he wasn't going to step back in the invisible, clear thread strung between the tallest oaks in the forest.

A string I'd tripped over pleanty of times. He waited for my response, and when he got none, he let out a frustrated growl, looking away quickly before glaring back at me, eyes dark in the dim moonlight.

"An' ya think ya can jus' not talk?! Like I'll forgive ya if ya jus' stand there like...like none a' this means anythin' ta ya!"He shouted, and I clenched my teeth to keep from saying anything, even when the pain in my chest was worse than any metal-burn I'd ever recieved. But the look on his face, the pain, the utter, absolute pain, was killing me.

"Like we neva' meant anythin'...did we?"He asked angrily, "Because no one could eva' beat Pitch in yer heart, but ya had no problem givin' me a go, like some bloody toy. Makin' me look like a bloody fool! Was tha' all this eva' was ta ya?! Because if it were...jus' leave! An' don' let me see ya eva' again!"He screamed, the trees shaking, as if trembling children listening to their parents fight.

And I deserved every single word.

"Don't move."I said again, seeing him inch a foot back, ready to take off. He immediatly glowered and I tensed, seeing him get ready to take a step backwards.

"An' bloody hell with you an' yer commands-" I cut him off as his foot finally crossed the line, seeing a fleeting dart of light reflect off of the otherwise-invisible thread, lunging forward with sparks propelling me forward faster than he could react. It happened fast, the loud 'whoosh' of something heavy heading towards us, me shoving Bunny so hard he fell over. The entire forest shivered as the wind from the object flew off of it, the leaves chattering loudly as I grunted in pain.

My ribs felt like jello for a second as I landed on my unhurt side, curling up and over to my knees. I wasn't concerned, I'd been hit with this more times than my pride would let me admit. But no matter how many times I tripped, it still hurt just as bad.

"Sheila!"Bunny shouted, and for a moment I heard his voice, his real, true voice without anger or hatred or betrayal or pain. Without any of the horrible things that it had lately. Just his voice. His voice I couldn't live without hearing, that feeling I got as he slid in front of me and gripped my shoulders, the sparks that flew down my arms, that protective feeling, that warm feeling. That amazing feeling that I couldn't describe. If all of it were to be taken away, it would take my soul with it.

"It's fine."I grunted out through the momentary pain, reaching up and, with a jerked tug, pulled the stick from my ribs. The wound closed almost immediatly, and I threw the slightly-pointed twig over to the side calmly, pain ebbing away to a dull ache.

"How did ya know...?"Bunny asked, for a second sounding apologetic, realizing why I'd stopped him. I knelt in front of him, his paws still on my shoulders as I looked down at his chest, blood pumping furiously.

"It's an old trap from Fall Spirits. They set it to catch tresspassers, but there's no more spirits left here, not after what I did to Birchley."I explained, and felt Bunny stiffen. There was no way he could have known that this was the forest. No way he could have known that this was where I'd made my decision to become who I was. All he knew was that this was the first place I'd ever met him.

And there was a drawn-out silence, me just kneeling there, not knowing why I was trembling, or why I felt like I was about to cry. Because something was welling up inside of me, some massive ball of emotions choking me. Because I wanted him to know.

"..Why didya shove me outta tha way, sheila? After everythin' I've said to ya?"He asked, a self-depreciating tone thick in his voice. I reached up and grabbed the fur on his chest, feeling the softness, the warmth, and the need to never, ever let go.

"Because that's my purpose."I said shakily, making him flinch in surprise. I clenched my fists and leaned my head forward, almost touching his chest as I realized that this was the only way to prove it to him. To show him how I trusted him. To make him believe in me.

"That's what Manny told me when I was in the nightmare,"I said, voice clearly holding back tears as I hoped, prayed, that this would work, because if it didn't then I was out of ideas. "That's why I had to go through all that shit. That's why he dejected me from being a Guardian. Because he saw my center, to protect those closest to me with my life, and he said that I was meant to be something more than a Guardian!"I shouted, needing to get it all out, needing to say it before he left.

"Because I'm supposed to keep you all safe! And I will, I just had to clear my head and think for eight months, but I'm staying now, okay? I'm staying, because I wont let anything bad happen to any of you! And damn I hated you all when I first met you, but its all your fault that you kept persisting and kept me around and now I wont leave because I can't because you all got too damn close to me! And I hate it but I love you guys! And I'd never let myself live if anything happened to any of you! Because that's my purpose! I'm the Guardian of the Guardians!"I shouted it all out like a crazy person, throwing it out of me and at him.

And once every word slipped past my lips, once I finally, finally told him why I was here, I felt something heavy lift from my shoulders, body shaking with the relief. And I hoped that would make him stay, because I had to tell him more. I had so much more to say.

"But that's not everything. That's not the entire reason I'm not leaving."I said, voice quieter now, almost shaking. I didn't notice he was still holding me, didn't notice how silent he was being. Only noticed the beating of my heart and the words that had to be said.

"Because I need to be near you."I said, voice almost hoarse, "I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm over Pitch. That I'm just going to forget everything we've been through, because I can't. Not so fast, not when it was so beautiful. I can't forget it so fast, and when he left there was this wound that he left, one that hasn't healed yet. Because I let him so close to me, and he took hold and ripped that out. I don't care if we're friends now, it still hurts. It's always hurt. Every damn day of my life, it hurt and hurt and I never thought it would ever get better...

"I let him go. Do you know why? Because I met you. Because when I was with Pitch and when I'm with you it was different. It's so damn different because with Pitch I never felt things that I feel with you. It's so damn different because with Pitch he betrayed me, he left me and he tore my heart out of my chest. He hurt me and made me live with it. But you're different. I know that you can hurt me, so damn easily. And normally I hate that...

"But I don't believe you'll hurt me. I can't, not when I feel so safe with you. When I'm with you, I feel like, if anything happened to you, I'd die. I never felt that with Pitch... But I'm not going to say that all of that is going to change anything. You're wonderful, you're so damn _beautiful, _but...but it's hard to move on. I can't just heal this fast. And before I wasn't healing at all...

"That's why I need you. Because that was before. Now, when I'm near you, I'm healing. I'm not forgetting, but it's getting better. I need to be near you, because every second of every day with you is closing that wound and making it better. And I know this is wrong of me. I shouldn't use you like this, I shouldn't make you wait until my mistake stop hurting, but I just can't move on until it's closed and until it's just another scar.

"Pitch and I were dysfunctional, and maybe somewhere deep inside I always saw the end coming. Maybe I always knew it was going to end horribly. Because when I put that much of myself into someone...I let them have the opportunity to hurt me. But...it wont end with you. I don't know why I know this, I just do. It won't end horribly, because I trust you so much it hurts. I trust you so much that you can hurt me without knowing it. I trust you and that's why I've done all of this, that's why I've told you everything, and that's why I'm here damnit!

"Because...because it might take a long, long time for this to heal. It might take another thousand years for it to stop hurting. But...but I can promise you, when it does, I'll be able to say what you were going to say to me. After it's all over, if you wait until the end, I promise you. I chose you. And if you wait, if you let me be selfish and make you wait, I'll chose you again."

I paused, resting my head on his chest and closing my eyes, shaking and getting my breath back into my lungs. There. Now he knew everything. And there was nothing left that I could do.

"...Do you still want me to leave?"I asked quietly. If he said yes, I would leave. But I would never _leave_ them, because even if it broke me in two, I'd never let anything happen to them... And if he said no-

His arms crushed me to him, wrapping around me so tight that I'd never felt more protected in my entire life. They wrapped tightly, holding me to him as if he were afraid I was going to bolt at any second. His breath was on my shoulder, his head buried into the side of my neck, me frozen in fear and shock, in silent pleading.

And two words were all I needed.

"Don't leave."

I could never tell you how those words felt. I could never explain the massive light inside of me, the amazing tingling across my body, and the utter relief I felt that made me almost dizzy. No words could give it a correct feeling, a correct reaction. All I could say was that, for once, I felt like I belonged in someone's arms.

I buried my face in the fur of his neck, smelling flowers, paint, and chocolate. Shaking slowing until I was still, until I could listen to our breathing in cadence, until I could hear his steady heartbeat. It was so quiet that I could hear his intake of breath as he began to speak.

"Do ya promise, at the end...?"He asked. And there was only one way I knew how to say 'yes'. I pulled back slightly, his arms tight around my upperback, until I could lace my fingers in his cheekfur and look him in his beautiful, brilliant, emerald green eyes. Until I could send him a messege with my eyes. But that wasn't how I was going to seal this promise.

My eyes were closed, face tilted and lips brushing lightly over his, before I could think twice. And before, when he'd touched me, sparks ignited. That looked like sparklers compared to what happened when he immediatly kissed me back.

His lips pressed to mine, and I heard electricity whizz and crack, popping in the air around our heads, hear the subtle sizzles as they fell to the ground, only to be replaced by more. And this lightshow outside was repeated inside of me, something filling me and sizzling, exploding, tingling. Something warm and wonderful. Something beautiful. Something bright.

I felt his lips move against mine, his arms wrapping protectively around me, tight and secure. Like he wanted to keep me safe, keep us here when we were together, when we had a promise, when we were both safe and sound. Intertwined.

But it had to end, like everything does. I moved back, calmly breathing air into my lungs as his eyes never left mine, looking at me half-lidded and serious. With his own promise, his own oath to never leave, not matter how long it took. And a little bit more of me healed.

"...But I wanna make sure ya live long enough ta keep yer promise, sheila."Bunny said quietly, a paw running down my neck, sparks dancing lightly. I opened my mouth to object, but Bunny cut me off. "Listen, I was thinkin', an...he's gonna be too weak ta be able ta do much anyway. If he's kept under suveilance, an' I mean strict surveilance, then...he can get us tha' key and tell us where this little tree stump's house is, an' while we get yer memories and turn Birchley inta firewood...an' be kept safe at tha' pole."

I paused, shocked that Bunny, of all people, would propose and idea to keep Pitch safe. And it was an amazing idea, one that I couldn't find any flaw in. If we kept him safe, if we had the key...it could work. It could really work. I thought it over, fixing details lightning-fast, and then nodded strongly.

"...Okay. But the Fall Spirits wont be in their homes until after Christmas. They go to this giant fesitval for the end of their work year until the day after Christmas. I'd rather wait and help North than deal with every damned Fall Spirit in existance. We get Pitch tomorrow, have the party the next day, and then help with Christmas. Afterwards we can deal with my memories."I explained, and Bunny frowned.

"Sheila, tha's too long-" I shut him up again, leaning up and kissing his lips again, half to keep him silent and half because I felt like I was in the beginning of a terrible addiction. After a few seconds, I sat back and said sternly,

"I know myself, and I know I can hold out until Christmas is over. Deal?" He paused, and then sighed.

"Do I get a choice?"He asked, and I answered him in my new favorite way.

_-At The Pole- Boston's p.o.v***_

"They're home!"Tooth's voice immediatly chirped the second Bunny and mine's feet hit the floor from the portal, Jack, Sandy, and North immediatly rushing us. I rolled my eyes as North and Tooth shot a million questions at us, Sandy's images going faster than I'd ever seen before, Jack giving Bunny a 'look', and Bunny glaring daggers at him.

"Hey, what happened here?! Why is it torn?! Did you get hurt?!"Tooth exclaimed, looking like a mother who just found their child was missing in a grocery store, pulling the jacket clean off of me and looking at the tear where the Fall Spirit's trap had hit me, gasping as she saw an identical rip in my tank-top. Without giving me time to explain anything, North had Bunny up in the air by the chest fur, shaking him furiously.

"Did you do thees to little Boston?! Answer Bunny! How could you hurt little girl?!"He shouted, followed by a string of Russian that sounded way too gargled to not be swear words. Bunny, meanwhile, was switching between a look of utter fear and fury, grabbing North's hands as he shouted,

"Oi, cut it out ya gumby! It wasn' me! Tell 'im Boston!" I crossed my arms and leaned on the not-metal railing, saying calmly as I watched the incresingly amusing scene,

"Nope, it was totally him. Continue." Bunny gave me an incredolous look that made me burst out laughing, North shaking him until I thought he'd turn into a rag, Tooth finally calming him down as Bunny jumped from North's hands, turning and seething as me as I decided it was time for a nap. I walked past them all, throwing over my shoulder,

"It wasn't Bunny, don't worry. We're fine. Oh by the way, we're picking Pitch up tomorrow. Night."

I could feel the stunned silence behind me, but to be honest the only thing I cared about was a nice, warm bed, and about twelve good hours of sleep. Tomorrow was going to be taxing enough, with getting Pitch to the Pole, getting the key...

Oh, and telling him that I was, once again, dying. I'm sure he'll take it well.


	7. Unspoken Tensions

_-A Cave- Boston's p.o.v***_

It hadn't changed in over a thousand years. Every cracked crevice, every twisted staircase, every arching, endless bridge giving way to open, crater-like cave openings, it was all just the same as the last time I'd been here. Dark, requiring a small, solitary spark ahead of me to light the way for the others. I didn't need it, though, barely casting the little ball of light a glance as I traversed ahead of the others, knowing exactly where to go and how to navigate here.

After Pitch fell from Manny's good graces, he relocated us here, where he could be free from Manny's judging shine. I'd spent the last two or three hundred years here, before I decided to stomp out Pitch before he caused any further harm to children. This was, in all honesty, my second home, though I'd abandon it long ago. I still knew it like the back of my hand, mind thinking ahead to which turns to take and what spots in bridges to avoid.

We'd been walking for five minuets, sensing how tense the others were behind me as nightmares and fearlings slowly spread up the walls, keeping a distance and pressing to the walls like ink spilt upside-down. The whinney of nightmares below us as we crossed a bridge roared to life, a sudden upward burst of shadows swarming up to the bridge, cascading over as the sand quickly morphed into black mares the second they splashed onto the black granite bridge.

I paused, the others behind me gasping and tensing up, looking into the coal-red eyes of the nightmares before us. There was a silent moment, a silent moment where we just regarded eachother like long-lost friends not sure if they should greet eachother with trust or not. Yes, I'd known these nightmares since most of their conceptions. In fact, I'd played with them and lived with them for the thousands of years I'd been with Pitch.

It was morbid, thinking of how I would run and pet and treat these animals like my own, as if they were pets or friends. They were the darkest thoughts a human mind could create, the very things that terrified people to their absolute cores...and yet I'd viewed them as harmless playmates. Everyday, whenever Pitch was gone, I'd spend my time with them. After awhile, we formed a kind of...connection. An almost telepathic way of them to look into my eyes and tell my feelings, read them like a book. It was, afterall, what they were created to do.

Back then, it was just a minor nusaince. They could read my emotions, good and bad, with just a look.

Now, looking at eachother thousands of years later, with so much having happened, with alliances having changed numerous times...nothing had changed. Their eyes searched mine, the four that stood in front of us having one ahead of them, our faces two feet apart, eyes locked on without a hint of anything, and yet this nightmares saw every emotion swirrling through my body.

He saw my excitement, to see Pitch despite all that had happened. He saw my weakness, worry, and anger at my current situation. He saw my fondness for him, after all these years. But, above all, he saw my fear. Yes, my fear, that I felt might be apparent even to the nightmares in the other parts of this underground maze. It twisted inside of me ever since we'd set off this morning, a tightness in my chest that I couldn't ignore.

My fear of what I was going to see when we walked past the door ahead of us, where the bridge ended and met a pair of ornate, black-and-silver, double doors. My fear of really seeing what I'de done to him. I'd only ever seen Pitch strong and confident...I did not want to see him weak. Didn't know how I would react to what I saw when we passed those doors...

And every two steps I'd wanted to turn back. Not just because I knew he was too weak to defend himself if anything happened, but because I had a horrible feeling that, like most of my decisions, this was going to get me in deep shit.

A mutual respect was passed through the Nightmares, all recognizing me and immediatly relaxing, deciding to not change into my fear like they'd been trained to do with others. The head one trotted lazily up and nuzzled it's head under my hand, a small smile creeping onto my face as I drug my fingers through its locks, feeling exactly like I was sifting through sand.

"Hey there, buddy. Been awhile."I greeted, the horse beneath my hand whinneying in agreement.

"You can talk to them?"Jack asked incredolously, quickly followed by Bunny's sarcastic clip,

"What a surprise."

I turned around and winked at him, his face still grumpy albeit a bit more playful than before. At least he wasn't as moody as I expected him to be with this, still not able to shake the feeling of his kiss from my lips, as hard as I'd tried to. I faced back to the nightmare, lightly brushing a hand along it's smooth, silky face as I said quietly,

"I have to see Pitch. He's going on a little vacation for awhile, but I promise he'll come home safe and sound, alright tough-guy?" It nodded it's head once, twice, three times before turning and rearing up ten feet tall, flailing out its front hooves at the others that quickly dispersed in whisps of black sand. The nightmare walked up to the door and turned to face me as I walked up to it, hearing the other's tentative footsteps behind me.

It gave me a look, one of trust that you would never normally see a nightmare give. It was a look especially mine, a look not even Pitch would recieved. And I returned it, nodding as it quickly nuzzled my face before dissapearing, leaving a fleck or two of black sand in its wake. I brushed them off, stepping up to the door and pausing, a flood of worry pounding in my head and weighting down my gut.

What would I see in here? Would he be recognizable? Would he even be here? Or worse, would he be here and look...look... I shook my head, closing my eyes as I took in a deep breath. If I waited any longer, the others would think-

"C'mon sheila."A whisper came right next to me, brushing the tendrils of hair over the top of my ear as a shiver ran down my spine by reflex, a soft paw on my shoulder that I never expected in this situation. I turned my head a bit, seeing Bunny backing up a step and looking at the door with an unreadable expression. I stared a bit, not knowing what was going through his mind at this time. He didn't like Pitch, which was understandable, and the last thing he wanted after my angst-fest yesterday was said man sleeping in the same building as me...

But the alternative was letting me die. Part of me understood what he was going through, and the other part just wanted to get this over with. I motioned beind me, a very disgruntled, very here-against-his-will, very terrified Phil the yeti walking up behind me with a brown sack. I eyed it, then him, glaring at the means of travel he was expecting Pitch to use.

He gave me a shrug and pointed to Bunny, who gave Phil a shocked and guilty look, mouth open as he looked at me. The glare I gave him shut up whatever excuse he was about to use, rolling my eyes and whispering,

"Be gentle, and don't just dump him on the floor. Wait until we get to his room." Phil nodded as I turned, placing my palms flush against the door and taking in a deep breath. I didn't want to see this...really didn't want to see this...

I shoved, pushing open the doors with complete silence, not so much as a creak as I quickly moved into the darkened room, lit only by a single, black-waxed candle on a bedside table. I knew this room well, a room I'd slept in for two hundred years. I didn't need to look to know that the bed had all-black sheets, four towering posts of what was black sand until I'd heated it enough to create black glass. Didn't need to know the bed's head was against the far wall, an ornate table beside it.

I leaned against the wall, crossing my ankles and arms as a stir came from the bed.

"Wha...what on Earth...who is there?!"Pitch demanded, as I finally dared to raise my eyes to his level, the others crowded at the door as Phil entered the room tiredly, brown bag in one hand and shoulders slumped, looking like he'd rather re-paint all of the toy cars than do this.

To my relief, his voice only sounded a bit strained, not the horrible, cracked, whispy voice I'd imagined him having, imagining he could have spoken at all. The light flickered off his face as he sat up, slowly and his arms shaking in a way that made my stomach knot. Everything seemed tiring, looking much like how I felt at the moment; like everything was being drained out of me.

His face was a tad lighter than I remember, eyes just a bit less vibrant, a lock of hair falling in his face, mouth curled into a snarl at the intrustion. His robe hung from his body, looking thinner than he had when I'd last seen him, like the power was being literally sucked from him and leaving him thin and drained. His chest panted, as if sitting up were a feat in and of itself.

And I felt like I was going to be sick with guilt and worry. Because I'd caused this. Because I was here, asking for his help after I desereved absolutely none of it. I looked away after recognition flashed across his eyes, instead playing it cool and looking at my nails with the calmest face I could muster.

"Bloody hell do you all think you're doing here?! Get that thing away from me this instant!"He thundered, almost relieved to hear the old, angry Pitch in his voice, if not a bit diluted.

"Don't try to fight it, they didn't really give me a choice when they did this either."I mused calmly, immediatly feeling a pair of eyes on me.

"...Boston, what is the meaning of this-What?!"Pitch shouted as Phil threw the sack over his head and through his body, picking up the limp-looking package and turning to me. I glared at him as a warning, then walked up to the bag Pitch was screaming obsceneties from.

"Calm down, I'll explain it in a second. We have to get out of here, first."I assured him, his voice too muffled for me to understand. There was a flash of blue and white, North throwing the snowglobe in the center of the room and stepping through with one leg, ushering Tooth and Sandy through with one hand. Jack seemed to leave faster than anyone, tense and fidgety in the place he'd been tricked into visiting five years ago.

Bunny paused, looking back at me as I stood by Phil. Something crossed his eyes as he looked at me, then to where Pitch was still shouting angrily. It passed too quickly for me to see, him turning and jumping through the portal as I entered ahead of Phil, stopping right as I got to a certain room in Santoff Claussen.

The others were already gathered around the door to the darkened room, me moving to lean against the dark-wood bedstand, a bookshelf off to my left and the bed pressed to the wall on my right, a window with the curtains shut above it. The whole room was too dark for Phil to see, him stumbling out of the portal and a moment of panic seizing me as I saw him almost drop Pitch.

Instantly I shot out ten sparks, giving the room a nice glow that Phile immediatly sighed in.

"Bed. Now."I snapped angrily, Phil jumping and quickly placing the bag down, me noticing how Pitch only verbally fought back, his body seemingly...limp. I shuddered the thought away as Phil quickly pulled the bag down and away, revealing a clearly-frazzled, pissed-off, disheveled, glowering King of Nightmares.

"You will tell me why you decided it was a delightful idea to steal me away this instant, or so help me I will skewer you with-"

"Pitch, language. There all kiddies here."I scolded him, looking down as he noticed me for the first time in the room. His face changed, eyes softening and eyebrows furrowing, propped up on his elbows with what little strength it appeared he had. He certainly did not look like the King of Nightmares, but he damn well sounded like it.

"Boston...why on Earth am I here?"He demanded, tired-sounding and utterly confused. I paused, walking and sitting on the side of his bed, leaning forward enough to rest my elbow on my thigh as I tried to find the words to say this. If I said it wrong, we'd have a more-homicidal-than-usual Pitch Black to deal with. Then again, even if he did want to extract revenge on anyone, he didn't appear to have the strength to stand, as much as that pained me to admit.

So, casting caution aside as I felt a new wave of weakness wash over me, I explained in the most non-chalant manner I could muster,

"I'm dying...again."

What happened next could be compared to that one teacher you always had that would completely explode on the class to the point where you feared you might have to call 9-1-1 before their entire head erupted from the sheer fury inside of them.

His eyes went wide and, with a sudden burst of strength, he sat all the way up. Shadows erupted up the walls and made Tooth and Sandy jump, Pitch's face growing a slight red hue as a vein in his neck popped out, screaming at the Guardians with all the fury he could muster,

"WHAT ON _EARTH_ HAVE YOU LET HAPPEN?! WHY ARE YOU DYING, YOU FOOLISH LITTLE GIRL?! I _STAB_ HER AND SHE LIVES, BUT I LEAVE HER ALONE WITH YOU LOT AND SHE BEGINS TO _DIE_?! WHAT KIND OF SENSE DO YOU ALL HAVE?! DO YOU NOT KNOW THE KIND OF TROUBLE THIS CHILD GETS HERSELF INTO ON A DAILY BASIS?! HOW CAN YOU CALL YOURSELVES 'GUARDIANS' IF YOU ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN?! EXPLAIN, OR I SWEAR ON ALL I BELIEVE IN THAT YOU WILL REGRET THE DAY YOU WERE RE-ANIMATED!"

"Pitch-"I tried, but his fury blew right over me, the Guardians stunned into silence near me, not used to seeing Pitch so...very _adamant_ about something. The shadows grew more restless, physical manifestations of Pitch's shocked fury.

"Is this your fault?!"He shouted, "Here I thought you were SUPPOSED to PROTECT, and yet you allow this BORDERLINE-IMMORTAL to be put into some life-and-death situation?! What have you been DOING?! Don't give me that shit that it wasn't your fault, either!"

"Pitch, it really wasn't-"

"And what on EARTH do you believe _I _can do about this?! I'm half-dead as it is, but still I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE YOU CAN CALL UPON?! BY MANNY I HAVE THE RIGHT TO RIP-"

"Pitch! Down boy!"I snapped, his screams literally shaking the walls of the room, the shadows twisting like fire as Tooth and Jack dropped to the ground in fear, North's eyes wide and shocked with a guilty, frightened look on his face. Sandy was hiding behind Bunny, who was visibly glowering.

Pitch stopped, panting hard as I buried my face in my hands, shaking my head in exasperation.

"Well...that went well."I muttered sarcastically, the shadows around the room inching down but still there, still threatening as I looked up, Pitch's face flushed beneath grey skin. That outburst seemed to be the equivalent of running a marathon for him, his back hunched and panting heavily. I fought down the newest pang of guilt and pain, facing him seriously.

"I'll explain it all, I just need you to lie down before you hurt yourself, okay?"I insisted, voice quiet compared to the fury that his held. I didn't know if it were because I asked, or because he was about to collapse, but he shakily re-positioned himself, me restraining myself from reaching forward and assisting him, feeling Bunny's eyes on me from the back of my head.

Once he settled, propped up on the head board and sitting straight, head resting tiredly back on the headboard. His eyes ran suspiciously over us as I turned, sitting cross-legged on the bed and musing,

"You remember Birchley?" His eyes snapped to me, a hidden fury behind them as he said in a low, angry tone,

"How could I ever forget? What does that sorry piece of firewood have to do with..this."

"Well...that's kind of a long story..."

_-Twenty Minuets Later-_

Pitch took in a deep breath, leaning his head tiredly back as I finished explaining what happened with Birchley, watching carefully as he tensed and frowned at certain parts. A shadow cast over his eyes, though his fury seemed to have subsided, darkening his face into what would be his normal skin tone.

"I see...and what solution do you have that could possibly involve an invalid?"He asked smoothly, not knowing the horrible guilt I had to fight down in order to keep talking.

"We want to find him and get my memories, then turn him into a number 2 pencil for all I care."I explained, and Pitch raised an eyebrow in tired confusion.

"And I can do what exactly?"He mused, and I frowned.

"Can you let me finish? What I was going to say is that we need that...key thingy that you took from Birchley, and the location of his home. Prefereablly soon."I said, and Pitch got a mildly surprised look on his face.

"Key thingy?"He asked, and his voice had a ring of amusement to it that almost lit up his darkened, hollow features. I smirked and, for a moment, almost felt like...like things were back. Back to how they were before everything, for just one small moment. It had been hundreds of years since we spoke like this, and while I wasn't sure that things could ever be the same again...it felt nice, at least, to be able to joke when things were far from funny.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, just hand it over, jackass. I don't have all week...literally."I deadpanned, and he rolled his eyes.

"Always so dramatic."He muttered, and I gaped, shouting defensively,

"I'm dying!"

"See? That's what I'm talking about. You wont get the key unless you ask calmly and nicely."He scolded calmly, and I deflated, frowning heavily at him. He sure seemed to cool down fast.

"Um, not to interrupt,"Tooth offered shyly, making me and Pitch look at the shy-looking fairy curiously, "But um...we really need that key, if we want to get Boston's memories back by the time Christmas is over."

"Christmas? Why on Earth are you waiting that long?"Pitch asked me, a bit of agression back in his voice. I rested my chin on my fist, part of me almost relieved that he was this concerned about me, that he wasn't angry at me for doing...this...to him.

"I can hold out that long. Besides, the Fall Spirits aren't home this time of year, anyway. Key please?"I asked in tired, broken sentences. He looked down at me with narrowed eyes, lips in a thin, dissaproving line as I felt his eyes travel across my face. I was damn well aware of the fact that I looked like I just worked the graveyard shift, and having the others glancing at me was bad enough, but for Pitch to be seeing this for the first time was twice as uncomftorble.

"Pitch, I'm literally _dying _ to get that key."I scolded, and he gave an immediate shrug, the oddly angry look on his face dissipating as he flipped a palm upwards on the pillow he sat on, me taking into a concerning account that he didn't seem to have the energy to lift said hand. Shadows immediatly swarmed around it, spinning like a controlled tornado, until finally they died down.

A few black flecks fell on the pillow, but all I was focused on was the key in his hand. I reached down, taking the heavy, hand-sized key and looking it over. It was an exact replica of the one in the book, but I hadn't expected it to be this large, almost larger than my entire hand.

"What the hell does this fit into? Oprah's fridge?"I asked incredously, North suddenly in front of me and belly-laughing, taking the key in his hand as if it were a feather and inspecting it, twisting it in front of his eyes like a new toy.

"Opens large oak tree!"He exclaimed, and I frowned, wondering how they possibly got along without me.

"Oh yeah. That narrows it down."I deadpanned, Bunny rolling his eyes and Jack trying to get a better look at the key from over North's shoulder.

"I assume that's why I'm here?" I turned, looking up at Pitch as he gazed boredly at us, still resting his entire body against the headboard and looking like a shell of the powerful being he used to be. And, looking at how pale, thin, and weak he looked, thinking about how even a thrown stone could possibly shatter one of his fragile bones...

"No."I said, surprised at the bruntness of my voice, Pitch raising his eyebrows as the others grew quiet. I cleared my throat, trying to regain myself as I explained, "You're here because we needed the key and you're the only one who nows where Birchley's house is...but also because if we got you involved then that sack of twigs might try to take out some sort of personal revenge. You'll be here until he becomes a new brand of toothpicks."

An amused look danced across his face, lightening his eyes a bit as he mused,

"I believe I'm well able to care for myself-"

"So where's Birch's house?"I cut him off, seriously not in the mood to banter with him right now. He paused, about to say something, when he finally conceeded and mused,

"It's in the forest where he last attacked you a few thousand years ago. If you go far enough in, there will be one with no leaves no matter what weather it happens to be, even though it's an Evergreen. That's his home." I relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief that, at the very least, we had a way to get to him after Christmas...which reminded me.

I stood up abruptly, smacking the side of Pitch's head as light as possible and saying,

"Good. Tomorrow's a big party for all the spirits and figures, so just stay in here and try not to start a riot."

"I'll do my best."Pitch's teasing tone came as I turned and stuck my tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes and mused, "Really, thousands of years old and you still act like a two-hundred-year-old. Glad to see Guardianship hasn't changed a thing." I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms and asking,

"How'd you know that I-"

"Please,"He dismissed me, shaking his head, "You think any information about you Manny wont still tell me?" Genuine surprise filled me, not thinking that Manny would tell Pitch..well...anything, not after what Pitch had done...and a thought came to me. One I'd have to ask Manny later, if he decided to tell me useful things for once...

Was Pitch's whole journey planned, too? Or was it just part of mine?..

"I suppose old habits die hard."He finished, in a tone that seemed to allude to something I couldn't quite figure out.

Though Bunny seemed to sense something, because in a second an arm snaked around my waist and pressed me to a muscled side, me looking up surprised and curious. Bunny's eyes were narrowed, his face in a calm form of hostility as I felt his fur bristle a bit, eyes burrowing straight into Pitch's. I turned my head slightly amidst the awkward stare-down, seeing a mild sense of surprise cross Pitch's eyes, and then...then something else. Something almost like expectance, like he expected something bad to happen.

And then a mild amusement.

Luckily, the others were too busy at the doorway to pay us any attention, North and Tooth talking at a lightning speed with Sandy flashing images above his head, Jack already out of the room, everyone in a frenzy over the details of the plan and what to do for the party tomorrow. Leaving me in the center of a rather uncomftorble glare-contest between the two men involved in my overly-complicated love triangle.

I paused a second or two in the silence, looking from one to the other, before rolling my eyes.

"You can get us if you need anything. I'll bring you some food and coma-inducing hot chocolate in a second."I said with a tone of frustration, pulling out of Bunny's grasp as I half-stormed out the door. As I walked down the hallway, hearing the excited chatter of the others ahead of me, I had to admit something.

I expected his hostility between the two. And I should be a big girl and suck it up, get my memories, and then get over all of my emotional scaring in time to actually enjoy the party tomorrow...

But I died 16-years-old, and that's how I was gonna act.

_Bunnymund's p.o.v****_

He was weak-looking, and some part of me was almost relieved, almost felt like he was getting what he deserved after what he'd done to Boston. That same part of me felt the need to warn him, the animal-part of me taking over and protecting what was mine.

"Don' think she fergives ya."I spat, knowing if Boston heard she'd skin me alive. He continued to give me those tired, amused eyes as he mused in the airiest of ways,

"Oh please, don't put words into her mouth. She can chose to forgive me or not, it's of no buisiness of yours. Or do you think that just because you love her that she's automatically yours?" I paused, taken so aback by those words that I wasn't able to express my absolute fury. He took the opening, narrowoing his eyes and saying in a bitter, reminiscent tone,

"Believe me, I've stood in your place. If you think you can control that girl at all, you're wrong. Even if, one day, she returns your feelings as strongly as you do, you will never 'have' her. She doesn't belong to anyone, and she never will. Not to Manny. Not to you. Not to the Guardians. Not to me. You'd best learn that before you do something you'll regret."

I felt my fur bristle at his words, hating having him lecture me like he knew so much more than I did, when he had no idea the level of trust she'd given me. I turned to the door, looking over my shoulder and practically growling out,

"You'd know 'bout regrettin' decisions, wouldn't ya?" Before I turned back and walked out the door, I caught a dark, almost shiver-inducing look in the King of Nightmare's eyes. But..it wasn't one I expected from him. I expected anger. Or sadness. Or something...

But not regret. Never regret...


	8. Wilt Thou Weep When I Am Low?

_-Hey guys! Sorry if this updates really late, there's this terrible flu going around and I have the immune system of a water bottle. This also explains why this chapter might be a bit short, sorry! I love all of you, and this chapter I've literally been looking forward to since I began the sequel, mainly because of Hal O. Enjoy and review!-_

_-The North Pole- Boston's p.o.v***_

"Ah! Boston! Vere have you been?"North exclaimed as I jumped at his booming voice, pressed firmly against the wall that I was currenlty trying to sneak against, eyeing the stairs greedily. I turned, seeing the massive spirit facing me by the fireplace with reddened cheek, holding what was probably his double-diget number of spiked eggnog. Somewhere else in the massive hords of spirits, I heard Jack's joyful laugh and a chorus of jeers, then a shout by Bunny who had run off to challenge Frostbite in a race against Sandy and Tooth.

Without him, and not wanting to be anywhere near other spirits, I was keen on checking on Pitch and then heading in early. North, though, clearly had other plans.

"Uh-uh, I'm just...ya know...checking on the cookies?"I offered lamely, North belly-laughing as if it were the funniest thing he'd ever heard and reaching an arm over, grabbing me roughly and pulling me to his belly, arm around my shoulders in a death-grip as he turned us to whoever he was talking to.

In front of me sat a woman in a long, bright-blue cocktail dress and hot-pink sunglasses, already deducing that the orange-tanned woman was a summer spirit named Sunny, with deep brown eyes and bleach-blond, back-length hair. She was giving me one of the steriotypical 'you-think-you're-worthy?' looks, eyes narrowed and lips pursed, holding a wine glass in one hand with the other arm across her stomach, propping up the other.

"Sunny! Thees es-"

"Boston. We've met."She said, and if her tone could have burned me I'd be a pile of ashes. Venom dripped from it, her eyes trying to tear me apart right then and there. If I were in a better mood, I'd have ignored her and tried my hardest to get away, but right now I was in anything but a good mood. I felt like every pair of eyes that saw me was trying to incenerate me on the spot, their judgement and the way-too-close, claustriphobia-inducing party making me freak out.

"Sunny, how's the tan going?"I mused back, an edge of hostility in my voice with my hands shoved deeply into my pockets, wishing I was lucky as Pitch was right now. Her face snapped into outright hostility, jaw tight and eyes narrowed like a snake, the wine in the glass she was drinking from beginning to bubble.

I gave her a lopsided smirk, thinking about how, about eighty years ago, she and her barbie-thin group of summer spirits decided to hit me with a waterballoon, giving me one of the worst short-circuts I could remember. I repaid them the next day by adding a bit of electricity to their spots on Virginia Beach, adding them into the sun's beams and frying them like eggs. Looking at the clearly-fake tan she had on now, I was guessing she was still mildly recovering.

"Better than yours."She said sticky-sweet, a bitter tone in her voice. North seemed to notice absolutely nothing, just belly-laughing and exclaiming,

"Boston has Canadian tan, no?" My face fell as I deadpanned,

"Thanks North. You're the best." Sunny smirked at me, the sarcastic smirk that made you want to rip their face right off...or maybe that was just my homicidal tendencies kicking right back into gear.

"So, Boston, I heard you've started chumming it up with the Guardians. Guess that whole 'tough girl' act was fake, huh?"She spat with a high voice, mocking interest.

"About as fake as you." As much as I wanted them to, the words didnt come from my mouth. I looked up, seeing a person I'd never wanted to see more in my life, sitting on top of the massive fireplace with his elbows on his knees, smiling nonchalantly down at Sunny, who looked like she was just told that Jersey Shore wasn't something to base your life off of.

The man was dressed in black, loose jeans that fell over a pair of old, black combat boots, with a black t-shirt with a jack-o-lantern on the chest, eyes and mouth flaming like some demon possessed the famous vegstable, showing off strong arms. His hair fell in his face, bangs that needed to be cut about a hundred years ago and now fell almost to the end of his nose, the rest falling to his shoulders and hiding the tattoo on the back of his neck with the same insigna that was on his t-shirt.

He was a strong-looking man, but the way he sat with his knees pulled slightly up and leaning forward, shoulders hunched, made him look almost childish and adorable, with a certain gleam in his pure-black irises and a lopsided smirk on his face. I smirked with him, mood immediatly lightening with the presence of the one person I'd been looking for tonight.

Sunny, her face turning red under her inches of make up, glared up at the man and snapped,

"No one asked you, Hal! Go back to your pumpkin patch!" She spit the last two words like they were out of style, but Hal rebuted them like the class-act wit I knew he had.

"Sorry, didn't know it was that time of the month for you. Chocolate?"He offered calmly, holding out a hand as a piece of candy instantly appeared on his palm, a small scream emitting along with it's sudden appearence, Hal always being one for dramatics. Sunny's eyes flew wide like an angered lion, North's booming laughter shaking the walls near us and making the summer spirit gape in fury and shock.

Honestly, I wished I'd brought a camera for the look of anger and helplessness on her face at the moment, silently thanking Hal for just being Hal. I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms and asking,

"What's wrong? Where those all the words you knew?" Her eyes snapped to me, firey and fuming, mouth opening and closing like a fish before, finally, she huffed and stormed foreward, shoving me and North out of the way. Now, as I was not one to take hostile contact easily, the second her shoulder came into contact with mine I sent a trail of electricity up her neck and, eventually, into her hair.

With a scream of frustration, Summer tried desperatly to control the frizz that followed, looking now more like a blonde afro than silky locks. Hal's laugh sparked the laughter of those around us near the couch and the stairs, Sunny's face turning to one of horror as she quickly spun and stormed up the stairs, her usual posse of almost-clones quickly following her and trying to sheild her as they departed, dissapearing in a summer's breeze.

I looked up at Hal, who was looking childishly down at me though he was no younger than twenty-five when he died. Maybe it was his childishness that made me so fond of him, or maybe it was his unavoidable wit. Either way, he reminded me just now why I'd looked forward to seeing him in this mess of people.

"I feel as if I should be encouraging your people skills."He mused, and I rolled my eyes.

"Please, as if it's possible. Get down here you jerk, I haven't seen you in almost two hundred years!"I called, and he beamed, swiftly and gracefully pushing off of the top of the fireplace, landing like a 'black cat' on his feet.

"Firecracker, how've you been?"He asked, using a nickname he gave me from way back when, before 'Boston' was even founded by the Americans. He was never able to shake the name, so I let him keep it.

"I've been...interesing."I mused, thinking about all that had happened in just the past year.

"You look tired. What's wrong?"Hal asked simply, never one to hold his tongue or know how to correctly approach someone. He'd always been a bit of an outcast, not good himself at social interactions, but I didn't mind. In fact, I kind of liked it. Besides, Hal was probably the only spirit here that I'd actually explain what had happened to.

"C'mon, let's grab some food and get to the overlook. This is a long story."I mused, turning and walking to the food table.

"Can I have one of the cookies?"Hal asked childishly, and I couldn't stop the smile that spread on my face.

"Yes, Hal."

"Sweet. How about two?"

_-Bunnymund's p.o.v****_

I laughed as Jack pouted, crossing his arms as he sat on the back of the couch I was streached out on, paws behind my head.

"Don' look so grumpy Frostbite! I told ya before: Neva' race a rabbit."I mused in victory, Jack huffing and turning away. There was a moment of silence, and then he pipped up,

"Hey, who's that with Boston?" Immediatly I sat up, some instinct inside of me on full-alert that anyone other than me was near her. I followed Jack's gaze, seeing Boston sitting up on the overlook, her legs through the bars and a plate of food in her lap. Next to her sat a man no less than 25, no more than 30, dressed in all black with shoulder-length black hair and deep black eyes, smiling like a kid as he chewed on a cookie.

I felt a familiar tug in my chest, like the one I got when she was near Pitch, and it only worsened as I continued to watch them. They seemed to know eachother, though how Boston knew anyone here positively was a mystery to me. She was talking calmly, like she was explaining something, and the man was listening with an interested face, their eyes connecting at times.

Suddenly, the man interjected something, and Boston burst out laughing. I felt my fur bristle, jaw tightening as I watched how beautiful she was when she laughed, despite the obvious weakness in her features, at the fact that he made her laugh. Who was this man? Why were they so close?...

I realized all too soon that I was doing exactly what Pitch had alluded to. I was territorial over her, as if she were a possesion of mine, which I wouldn't mind her being. But Pitch's words echoed in my mind, _'She doesn't belong to anyone, and she never will. Not to Manny. Not to you. Not to the Guardians. Not to me. You'd best lean that before you do something you'll regret.' _ Once again, I felt anger rise in me that the gumby's words were all too true.

I knew before anything at all happened between Boston and me that she was something that could never be controlled, that she was forever free. That while I might love her more than anything I'd ever known, she wasn't a possesion of mine.

That didn't mean I couldn't be protective, though.

"That must be Hal, the one she was talking about!"Jack exclaimed, oblivious. Hal, right, that bloody gumby that was her first friend, other than Pitch. That helped nothing, and I promptly stood up, knocking Jack over the couch with a loud shout. I wasn't gonna do anything to embarrass myself or piss off Boston, but I also wasn't going to sit and watch those two talk like old friends.

_-Boston's p.o.v***_

"The Easter Bunny. That's a match made in a backwards kind of hell."Hal mused as he happily chewed on his fourth cookie, me sugar-sick from just watching him. I shrugged, having filled Hal in on everything that had gone down.

"Tell me about it. He drived me up the fucking wall. Seriously, no one's been able to piss me off as much as he has, makes me want to rip my hair out."I muttered, swinging my legs through the bars. Hal shrugged and mummbled through his cookie,

"Sounds like love to me."

I chuckled and shook my head, shrugging and musing out,

"Got that right. You wont tell anyone that Pitch is here, will you?"

"Why would I? He helps make my holiday easier. I'll probably forget anyway."Hal said, finishing his cookies and whiping his mouth. I rolled my eyes, well aware of Hal's limited attention span to any sort of memory that he wasn't allowed to tell people. If he couldn't voice it, his strange little mind would soon forget it.

"I think he doesn't like me."Hal stated calmly, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Pitch?"I asked, and he shook his head, looking at me calmly and saying,

"Bunny. He was just glarring daggers at me."His tone couldn't be more non-chalant, and I wondered, not for the first time, if Manny dropped this one on his head during his re-animation. I looked down, seeing Bunny walking away, fur on his back bristling angrily. I groaned, resting my head on the pole of the railling and moaning out,

"Bunny. You asshole."

"It's okay. It just means he loves you a lot."Hal dismissed, and I rolled my head to look over at him as he began to make a jack-o-lantern face in his plate by just touching certain spots. I mulled over his words, thinking of when he got angry because I wanted to keep Pitch safe, or when Pitch and I were talking yesterday.

If what Hal said was true, that man loved me an awful lot.

"Still annoying."Hal deadpanned, and I nodded.

We sat there, just talking, for hours. Soon, the night was growing too dark for even the candles to hide, spirits groggily dancing and continuing conversations until the party began to wind down and the first few spirits began to leave. Eventually, Hal and I stood up, Hal leaning down and giving me a hug.

Now, this seems like something most friends did. But Hal wasn't most friends, and close personal contact, even with me, was something he was rather awkward with and chose to avoid at all costs. Which was why this was so odd, and took me longer to react and lightly hug him back.

"Hal?"I asked, curious as he leaned up again and placed a hand on my arm, a troubled look on his face behind black locks.

"Firecracker, be careful okay? Something seems...off, like something bad's about to happen. I don't know why, but I sense a black cat coming in soon, and I don't want to lose my best friend. Promise you'll try to stay out of danger?"He asked, something inside of me feeling for this man. He was the closest I ever came to a friend in my worst years, and I'd be lying if I said this kid didn't mean a lot to me.

I smiled at him and lightly punched his arm.

"Promise, Hal. Now get going, I've got a busy freaking day tomorrow."I teased, and he smiled childishly again.

"Bye Firecracker, see you on Halloween."

"I still can't believe you named your holiday after yourself."

"You named a city after yourself."

"That...that's the other way around...but forget it. 'Night."

With a quick snap of his fingers and a tornado of bats and screams, Hal dissapeared from where he had stood in front of me.

I cracked my neck and yawned, turning and looking over the railing, rolling my eyes at the sight. The workshop was cleared, but the Guardians remained. Jack was off somewhere, having gone to bed an hour ago. Tooth was laying down under the tree, muttering something about wisdom teeth and molars. Sandy had knocked out a few hours prior, still resting on his sand cloud a bit above Tooth. North's snores made it almost impossible to not notice the massive man, lying underneath the snack table with only his feet visible.

And these were my friends?

Movement caught my eye, and I looked over to see Bunny sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace, just starring into it as the flames flickered off his soft fur, emerald eyes glittering beautifully as I tried to pry my eyes from him. Slowly, I made my way down the stairs, no energy left to fly, reaching the bottom and walking around to him.

He didn't seem me, just looking intently into the dying flames. I stifled a yawn, feeling my body growing more and more tired with every step I took, the light inside of me dimming that much more as Bunny's fur began to look more and more like a pillow. Without warning, I jumped onto the couch next to him, making him jump and cry out.

"Bloody hell sheila! Ya nearly scared me half ta death!"He exclaimed, North snorting in his sleep at the noise. I shrugged and mummbled out,

"I'm tired, you look comftorble. Yesterday you basically signed up to be my pillow for the rest of your existance."

"I don' rememba' tha!"He defended, and I glared at him.

"You complaining?"I asked, and he retorted,

"Yes, I'm bloody complaining! Ya might be a 'beaut, but I'd like ta be informed when my bodies bein' sold out as a pillow!" I rolled my eyes, musing,

"You're not fun at all."

"Not all of us can be as fun as Hal."Bunny mummbled bitterly, and I gave him a look, anger flaring up in me for a moment. He paused, looking over and seeing my glare. He opened his mouth to say something, but I ignored it, moving all the way to the arm of the couch and crossing my legs, knowing that I was acting childish but not really caring.

"Oi, sheila, listen! I didn' mean it tha' way...it's jus'..."He tried, but couldn't quite find the words, clearly struggling. I sat back on the couch and faced him, Bunny giving me a helpless look that had a bit of frustration mingled into it. "I...I guess it's jus' differen'."

"Different?"I asked, cocking an eyebrow. He buried his face in his paws, groaning uncontently as he mummbled out in frustration,

"Oi! Before all a...this happened, I didn' care who ya were 'round! Now...now, do ya know how bloody hard it is ta _not _ care when anotha' man's aroun' ya? I know I don' own ya, but-"

"Bunny."I interrupted him, half-hating him for cracking that part of me he always seemed to crack, a familiar tugging in my heart that I both detested and loved. He looked up curiously, just as I moved across the couch, on my knees on the cusions with one hand bracing me up, the other grabbing onto his chest fur as I streached across and pulled him to me.

I kissed him, pressing my lips to his as his fur lightly tickled my face, his body stiffening in surprise. And, god, when he started kissing back it was just like the first time. My entire body reacted, goosebumps and electricity running across my skin. It wasn't like kissing Pitch, partially because this was so...so _promising_ , almost. Partially because he was a giant effing rabbit.

But none of that mattered. It was beautiful, and I felt drunk on my own brand of alcohol when we finally pulled away.

"..Crikey.."Bunny whispered, and I looked him straight in the eye, hand laced in the soft fur of his chest.

"I chose you, remember? So stop being a drama-queen and let me use you as a fucking pillow."I snapped, moving and lying down in his lap, the fur soft and smooth, the muscle underneath supporting my head as I closed my eyes, a paw lightly running through my hair and sending small sparks down my neck as, after a hectic party, I slipped into sleep.

"A'right, sheila. G'night."

_-Pitch's p.o.v****_

I wanted, in that moment, to throttle that damned rabbit. I wanted to remove him from the picture and, more than ever, I wanted him to understand just how damn lucky he was that he had her. Wanted him gone, because he'd never understand what it was like to lose someone like her, and therefore he could never completely appreciate what he had...

"And wilt thou wheep when I am low? Oh sweet lady, speak those words again... Yet if they grieve thee, say not so. I would not bring that bosom pain."I recited a poem, the only one she'd ever truly liked out of the books of them I'd had her read. She said she enjoyed the true love within the poem, none of the gilted lover poems that seemed to consume that decade. The man wanted the woman's love, but if saying she loved him would bring her pain, the man didn't want her to say those words.

"I promise, I will not hurt your friends."I said calmly, turning from my spot on the overlook to come face-to-face with Jack Frost, the boy I'd tried to recruit and failed. He stood there, trying to look serious but with a hint of fear and worry in his eyes, gripping his staff to his chest.

"...I know."He said quietly, mildly surprising me, "You still care about her. If you hurt either of them, it would be hurting the person you love." He said it almost as a warning, as if I didn't already know these things. I gave the small boy a small grin and a nod, saying as I walked past him, my legs shaking beneath me as I tried to appear as strong as I wanted,

"The offer still stands Jack."

"No."

"Hm. I expected that."

"...Pitch." I paused, hand on the wall as I looked over my shoulder. He still stood there, biting his lip in worry. "You...you still mean a lot to her, too. So...just stay here tomorrow. She doesn't want anything happening to you. Please...don't make her sad."

It would never cease to amaze me, the level of friendship she'd managed to reach with the few she allowed into her heart. This boy was willing to protect his enemy for her. Nightlight, you truly are an amazing individual.

"...I will do my best."I conceeded to the boy, before turning and dissapearing in shadows, content to replenish what little strength I was gaining back with sleep.

"...I would not give that bosom pain."I whispered to myself again, before the shadows fell over me in a blanket of darkness.


	9. Rude Awakening

_-Hey guys! So I was just wondering, since I'm gonna need a lot soon and lately my brain's been blah, if you guys had any fluff ideas? If you do, leave them in the reviews! Thank you, and I love you all!-_

_-The North Pole- Boston's p.o.v****_

"Sheila, wake up."I heard Bunny prod, a soft paw shaking my arm. I grumbled, immediatly deciding that I'd rather be late for Christmas than wake up at one in the morning. I rolled away from him, pulling the sheets up to my chin and hearing more voices in the room.

"Up! Up! Much work es to be done!"North boomed, me shaking my head like a five-year-old.

"Sheila, grow up! This ain't tha time ta be actin' half yer age!" I threw the covers above my head and shouted, tired and angry,

"Half my age is still thousands of years old! Go suck an egg!"

"Oh, like I haven' heard that one before!"

"Oh for heaven's sake, move out of my way."

Pitch's voice alerted me, making me roll over in bed and about to rip him a new one for even being out of his bed when he should be resting... When a giant splash of water slammed into me, soaking through the sheets all the way down to my legs as I instantly sat up, feeling my body convulse and tighten as electricity shot up my body and through the room.

"Ah! You're up! Lovely, now maybe you can all let me get some peace."Pitch scolded in mock-enthusiasm, me panting and slowly gaining myself back, Jack turning over in the air and laughing, Tooth stifling her own laughter, North full-out booming, Sandy hiding behind North, Bunny trying his best to keep a straight, angry face...

And Pitch, standing there with a bucket.

"Pitch Black!"I shouted, seething and dripping wet, hair plastered to my face as he gave a calm, mildly amused look, "You have the strength enough to get a bucket of water but you can't just pull the covers off like a normal person?!"I fumed, and he shrugged, deadpanning,

"This is more fun."

"I'll show you fun!"I shouted, lunging for him, only to have Bunny suddenly holding me back with both arms.

"Oi, sheila! As much as I'd love ta see this, we've got four bloody hours ta deliver presents to every house that celebrates this blimey holiday!"Bunny shouted, and I stopped instantly, looking back at him incredously and exclaiming,

"Why the hell didn't we start sooner?"

"YOU!"Everyone shouted in unison, even Pitch. I paused, looking at all of them, everyone either recovering from their amusement at my little short-circut or frantic-looking. This was one of those moments where I should have been horribly apologetic and gotten right to work to make up for lost time, getting down to buisiness to bring Christmas to the world...

"Hm. My bad. I'm gonna go change."I mused calmly, sliding out of Bunny's arms and walking through the dumbstruck Guardians, out the door and heading towards Tooth's room, where she always kept a spare change of clothes for me apparently. She said she'd bought them a few weeks after I left, planning on giving them to me for a Christmas present, but when everything went down there was just no time to pass any out.

Once I made my way to the room, I already heard the others scrambling out of mine and rushing to get last-minuet details hashed out.

"I swear, someday I'll finish that man off."I mummbled to myself, shaking my head like a dog, sending droplets of water either sizzling onto my shoulders on the walls. Thankfully, Tooth had taken my jacket the other day to patch up the hole in the side from the Fall Spirit's trap, so all I really needed to find was a new shirt, and maybe a towel.

Pushing my way into the room, almost gagging at all of the pictures of certain teeth on the wall and the tooth wall paper, as well as tooth bedspread, pillow, lamp, and picture frames.

"She may have a serious problem."I muttered to myself, walking over to the nightstand and pulling open a drawr. On the very top was a perfectly folded, bright-yellow tank top, a small notecard on the top with 'Boston' written in precise, practiced cursive. I smiled a bit, shaking my head and chuckling at her motherly tendencies before picking up the shirt and shaking it out.

"...No, she definitly has a serious problem."I muttered, face falling as I saw a small, white tooth embroidered on the hem of the shirt, no more than an inch big but still there. Still, it was a nice thing for her to do, and I had to remind myself to thank her for this later. Slowly, still half-asleep, I peeled off my old tank-top and threw it in the drawr without much of a care, goosebumps lining up on my stomach as I stood, damp, in my jeans and bright yellow bra.

"I swear to Manny, that man's gonna get it when he stops being an invalid."I muttered to myself, shaking my hair again and looking in the mirror next to Tooth's door, seeing my hair now damp and stringy, some falling over my eye. I rolled my eyes, but stopped suddenly, noticing something. My stomach fell, stepping closer to the mirror with a twist of worry in my gut.

Oh...that was so not good. As in, reeeeally not good. I looked down, eyes staying on the two, identical spots on my lower abdomen, the two knife-shaped gashes running almost parallel to eachother. Normally, they were pale and almost glowing, like someone had placed a dying flashlight behind the skin.

Now, though, they weren't as innocent-looking as before. I hesitated, reaching a hand down slowly, looking with worry at the now-black, charred looking skin. Now it resembled any other wound, when metal ever touched me, except this time the wound wasn't healing, just black with streaking veins of black branching out of them. I paused, almost shaking as I brought a thumb to the oldest of the two.

"Ouch, shit!"I cursed, and then jumped as the door flew open.

"Oi, Boston, what a' ya-Oh! Uh, s-sorry...bloody hell, what's tha'?"Bunny exclaimed, going from angry, to shocked and blushing, to worried in less than one sentence. I paused, freezing on the spot before acting quicklly. I lunged forward, slamming shut the door and grabbing Bunny by his chest fur, bringing his face to eye-level.

His eyes widened and ears flattened to his skull, me well-aware of how...half-naked I was. At the moment, though, that was the least of my worries.

"Bunny,"I said seriously, looking into his confused and mildly embarrased eyes, "Don't tell anyone, understand?" He paused, eyebrows slightly furrowing as he mummbled,

"But, yer scars-"

"Are clearly not doing well, alright? Because, in case we forgot, I'm dying. But I don't want the others freaking out, okay? They have Christmas to do, and I can hold out another day until we go find Birchley. Just don't go making a big deal out of this, North and the others have enough to worry about. It's just one little thing, it could be much worse."I insisted, Bunny frowning deeply as I slowly let him go. He straightened up, hooking a thumb in his sling and glancing down to the scars, visibly wincing.

"...They hurt?"

"A little, but I'll live...well, kinda."I mused, correcting myself at the end. Bunny gave me a small glare, clearly not finding the little nip amusing, before letting out a heavy sigh and shaking his head.

"If I knew ya were gonna be this much of a handful, I'd have let ya leave all those months ago."He mummbled, and I beamed in victory, glad that at least this wouldn't be weighting on the Guradian's minds. I walked up to him, an old idea sparking back into my mind as I smiled and got right up to his chest, saying quietly,

"Then make me leave now."

Just like before, he froze, ears still plastered to the back of his head and eyes wide, a red tint behind thick cheek-fur. He looked like he was either about to have an anurism, or North had just laid one right on his kisser. Shocked, embarrased, and flustered. It was too damn cute, seeing him like this, and I instantly burst out laughing, taking a step back and pulling on the tank-top.

"You'd think after we kissed you'd be better at this game."I mused over my shoulder, walking out of the room and down the hall, wincing every now and then as the tank brushed against the wounds. It sucked in a breath, trying to calm myself down and look like nothing in the world was wrong, when finally I had some seriously bad physical evidence of my actual death.

Before, I'd known I was dying. But with everything going on, it seemed like something on the backburner, just a hobby I'd pick up later. To be completely honest, I was avoiding the subject all together. I could deal with injury, emotional turmoil, and even exile. But facing something like actually dying, something I couldn't stop within my own power...now that was terrifying. But I couldn't show it, not when something as important as Christmas was coming, not when North needed to reassure his believers that he still existed.

Then again, seeing a tiny North just like tiny Bunny might be so adorable it might be worth it...

"Ah! Zere es the sleepy head!"North exclaimed as I wandered into what appeared to be a loading dock, right across the hall from where I'd trained Sandy all those months ago. I walked in, looking around as yetis hustled about and shouted things in grunts, the other yetis responding and loading what appeared to be the last of the presents into a massive red bag on the back of...

"...Wait, you actually drive a sleigh?"I asked, hands in my pockets as I observed the sports-car like sleigh, a shiny and sleek body with eight massive, black-coated, excited-looking reigndeer hoofing at the ground and releasing loud snorts, shaking massive leather reigns that North held onto, sitting in the front.

"Of course! I have changed over years, you like new model, no?"He exclaimed proudly, petting the exterior loudly. I shrugged, looking at the entire vehicle with a bit of...hesitance. It wasn't that I didn't trust the sleigh, it was the driver that I had the biggest issue with, knowing that, just a few short hours ago, he was completely shit-faced.

Tooth fluttered to the obease red back, tying the top with a retractable gold string as the yeti gave some sort of thumbs-up, the entire bag taking up what might have been back seats and slumping over the back of the sleigh, making me wonder how it was going to stay onboard though the flight.

With these worried chalked up in my mind, seeing Jack jumping in his seat with an overly-excited look in his eye and Sandy sitting calmly and happily next to him, Tooth calling out something to one of the yetis, I stopped walking and said,

"Uh...yeah...about this...see I'm already dying, and if this is gonna speed that process up I think I'll pass..."

"Nah, c'mon! It's gonna be fun!"I heard behind me, and was suddenly and uncerimoniously lifted up from my armpits and carried off the ground, kicking and shouting,

"Bunny! Manny Damnit, put me the hell down before I turn you into dog food!"

"A'right!"He agreed too happily, dumping me onto a seat next to Jack and smiling at me from the ground. I glared daggers, seething as I snapped,

"Aren't you gonna join us, Steve Irwin?" Bunny continued to smirk up at me, a yeti immediatly slamming down a massive bag of toys almost as tall as bunny and twice as wide, my jaw dropping as he got a glint in his emerald eyes. I spun to North in the front, who was waving away yetis, the door in front of us opening.

"Hey! Why does Cottontail get to deliver them on his own?!"I shouted, North booming with laughter and musing,

"Bunny es sleigh-sick."

"He's gonna be a whole different kinda sick once I get back!"I shouted in Bunny's direction, cutting myself off at the end with a scream as, with a hearty snap of the reigns and a massive, collective winney from the reigndeer, the sleigh lurched forward. I was thrown back, landing hard against the bag of toys and getting what felt like a toy car to the spine, groaning in frustration as Jack stood up, screaming out in excitement.

"Buckle seatbelts!"North shouted, the air from outside whipping us with sheer, unfiltered, icy snow, me suddenly realizing I forgot my jacket.

"What seatbelts!"I screamed, as North steered the sleigh in a 180, making me scream yet again and cling to the seats for dear life, crawling back in as the sleigh righted itself.

"Oh, was just expression!"North laughed back, and my jaw dropped, shaking already and not just from the biting cold! I plastered myself to the seat, Jack jumping and flying around as Tooth took control of keeping the bag in the sleigh, Sandy sleeping. I looked around, not so much scared of the massive height we were at, but the person steering us over thousands of miles of Earth, the night sky making it no easier to see.

Wanting to cut my chances of immediate death in half, I quickly sent out eight bright sparks to float over the heads of the reindeer, the path ahead of us brightening and illuminating the trees and tundra below us.

"Thanks Boston! Es big help!"North called back happily.

"Thanks yourself, you crazy Russian bastard!"I snapped back, earning nothing more than a laugh as we began one of the most terrifying journeys I'd ever taken in my entire existance...

_-North Pole- Pitch's p.o.v****_

For once, I had the entire workshop silent, the yetis and elves off slumbering as I carried my tired, weak body over to the overlook, where I sat now in a chair I'd drug from the kitchen. The entire process took a greuling hour, but it was worth it to merely sit and watch, a blissful silence filling the usually-hectic workshop.

Normally, I would have torn this place down to the ground with the snap of my fingers. But, not only did I have no reason to do this what-so-ever at the time being, I also had a fraction of the strength to. Hell, it took me an hour to pull a bloody chair ten feet to sit in front of the globe, watching with a mild sense of bitterness as the lights flashed brighter and stronger than ever on all habitable continents.

My eyes studied them, knowing that it had been three hours since they'd left and it would be a few more before they returned. Leaving me to sit here and worry about Boston in peace.

Or what I assumed would be peace.

"Enjoy the view?" I paused, raising an eyebrow as the familiar, bitter voice spoke from behind me. Remaining calm, folding my hands in my lap, I asked,

"Aren't you supposed to be playing Santa Clause?"

"Finished, now it's jus' you an me."He mused darkly, and I rolled my eyes.

"Please, don't play that game with me. Boston would have you skinned if you so much as touched me."I mused, almost hearing the radiation of anger from the large Pooka behind me. There was another silence, which I smiled into.

"Ah, I see I'm right. So why are you here, want to try and re-mark your territory again, or do I have to remind you-"

"Get down!"He shouted, and I felt myself knocked harshly to the side, the chair clattering loudly on the floor as a pain ripped up the side of my body, making me cry out as the Pooka instantly rolled away. I looked over, half infuriated and half curious.

"Bloody hell!"Aster shouted, as a growl ripped through the workshop. I looked up curiously, grunting in pain as I felt my weakened ribs bruise like an apple, propping myself up on my elbows as I saw exactly what Aster had just saved me from.

Growling, its body tense and thin coat rippling with the muscles beneath, stalked a large greyhound with bright, hungry eyes. It's teeth barred, drool dripping to the floor as it stalked slowly, one foot at a time, over the chair I'd once sat upon.

"What is the meaning of this?"I demanded, looking up to see the Easter Bunny tense and with both boomerangs at the ready, panting with his eyes never flickering from the dog.

"A bloody greyhound, this ain't normal. North don't have anythin' but yetis and elves up here!"Aster shouted, and for the first time I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes, remembering distinctly what greyhounds were built to hunt. In any other situation, this might be highly amusing. But now, thinking about how much this thing meant to Boston and how upset she'd be if he were horribly mangled, I found myself thinking of ways to attack this mutt.

"My shadows don't work as well as they used to."I admitted earning a suspicious glance from the Pooka, before he turned his attention back to the still-advancing greyhound, the rabbit's fur standing on-end.

"Please, this thing's supposed ta beat me?"Bunny scoffed, as I quickly fit a few pieces of a puzzle together. There was supposed to suddenly be a greyhound at the North Pole, right when Boston is slowly dying, right when we get a key that could possibly save her? The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, eyes narrowing as I came to a conclusion all too late.

"No, but this is!"A familiar rickety, wratchet voice shouted out, and my eyes barely caught it in time to see something quick and grey go flying through the air at an impossible speed, a horrid-sounding 'crack' ringing out as the stone struck the back of Bunny's head. His eyes rolled back, the clatter of boomerangs sliding on the floor as he suddenly crumpled to the ground.

"Aster! Get up you buffoon, Boston-"I choked, a splintery, wooden foot slamming down on my throat as the sensitive tissue broke, feeling a trickle of blood run down my neck. I glared up, entire body on fire with absolute hatred as I met the eyes of the one being I never, ever wanted to see again. He smiled down at me, horribly mangled body and face smiling down at me as he crossed his arms, tossing a stone up and down with one hand.

"Well well, remember me, Mr. Black? Of course you do! Wasn't I the one who bullied your precious little girlfriend all those years ago?"He mocked, and if I could have spoken I would have snapped back, the anger in my body twisting and writhing as shadows spread helplessly across the floor, no more than black sand in their watered-down states, my throat painfully shut and body limp and weak, frustrated beyond measure that I could do nothing but lay there.

"Aww, too bad you seem to have been replaced by..a _rabbit._ "He sneered, face twisting in glee as my heart pounded in fury, my deep-seeded hatred for this thing running low and hard, thinking of Boston, of Nightlight, of her bruises, of the pain in her face, that he had caused her. All of this, and he was now killing her, taking something she loved, and making me watch as I helplessly lay upon the ground, like a useless rug.

The glint in his eyes was enough to make me wish a horrible, twisted death upon him.

"Don't worry,"He said, stepping off my throat as the trickle of blood ceased, walking over to Aster and pulling him up by the scruff of his neck, the rabbit unconcious and lolling about, wishing I could scream for him to wake and yet knowing that would make no difference. The greyhound stalked beside the Fall Spirit, eyes narrowing at me and letting out an angry bark.

Birchley pulled out a globe, no doubt stolen, and sneered, "I'll make her death nice and quick."

"You can't kill her."I spat, narrowing my eyes at the less-than-a-man. He rolled his own eyes, throwing the globe and asking,

"And why's that?"

"Because."I said, "She is simply far too stubborn to die. Especially at the disgusting hands of filth like you." A darkness passed across the spirit's eyes, a hatred and spite in his face as he threw the rabbit through the portal, the dog barking excitedly and jumping in after him.

"We will just see about that, now wont we?!"He shouted, before jumping through the portal last, the entire thing closing up. I again lay in silence, the workshop still and peaceful as if nothing had just happened. But this silence was far less comforting, far less relaxing. It was a stressed silence, a waiting silence.

Waiting for the others to return. Waiting to save that horrid Pooka. Waiting for them to go and save him. Waiting for Boston to grow furious and attack Birchley...

Waiting to see if my own words would hold true.


	10. Lost Memories

_-The North Pole- Boston's p.o.v****_

"I'm never getting in another vehicle with you. Ever."I said angrily, walking shakily down the hallway, one hand bracing me as North cheered and laughed behind me. We'd finished five minutes before schedual, mainly due to Bunny finishing so damn early. Sandy flew ahead of me, cheering silently as Tooth whooped in the air, spinning above me as Jack slid on a trail of ice he was creating, exclaiming how awesome it had been, and how happy Sophie and Jamie had been to see us all.

I had to admit, after eight months, I missed those damn kids. Sophie's eyes just lit up when she saw all of us, and I almost had a moment when I saw she still had her little egg I'd given her. Jamie was just happy to see Jack and me both alive, expecting us to have gotten in some major trouble.

"Was exciting, no?"North exclaimed, slapping me too hard on the back. I stumbled forward as we entered the overlook, looking around and shouting,

"Oi! Bunnymund, where the hell are you!"

"I'm afraid he wont answer."Pitch's voice was the only thing that alerted me of the man laying on the ground, noticing for the first time the overturned chair and Pitch's obviously weakened features. Instantly, out of some hidden instinct, I skidded across the floor and was at his side in a second, arms wrapped around his shoulders and helping him sit up.

"What the hell happened? Where's Aster?"I demanded, calling him by his first name for the first time simply because I was trying to get all the words out, and 'Aster' was easier to say. Pitch coughed weakly a few times, worry twisting in my gut as I imagined a whole spiel of things that could have happened, of reasons for why he was like this and Bunny wasn't here...

Pitch looked up at me, and I was taken aback by the utter sadness in his eyes, of the dissapointment and guilt that shaded them in a look I'd rarely seen him give.

"I'm sorry...I couldn't do anything..."He managed out weakly, something wrong with his throat. I tensed, hearing the others whisper behind me but not paying attention to anything but Pitch.

"What do you mean Pitch?"I demanded, something horrible settling in my gut and making me feel almost sick, "Where's Bunny? What happened here?" He paused a moment, before letting out a breath and composing himself enough to choke out,

"Birchley...he had a greyhound...distracted that Pooka, and then he...sent one of those stones into the back of his head...knocked him clean out...stepped on my throat...couldn't do much of anything." I started shaking before he even finished, my eyes wide and breathing labored in anger, feeling it shake in my veins and electricity pop and sizzle dangerously around me.

Pitch looked up at me with a mixture of surprise and worry, but I didn't focus. I dropped my head down, gritting my teeth. If only he didn't take everything as a damn race. If only he'd waited for us. If only he wasn't so damn headstrong that he wanted to get here hours before us...and maybe I'd have been here to save him. Maybe none of this would have happened.

Maybe I'd have been able to attack Birchley on my own terms. But this, this was clearly calling me out. He knew that, once he took one of my friends, I was going to go find him. And this meant he was expecting me, that he'd known we'd shoved him back into a corner and were going to get to him first no matter what. Now, he'd just made things in his favor, having whatever element of surprise and blackmail over my head that he wanted.

Blood boiled in my veins, cursing Birchley and myself for not expecting something like this, not doing my job better. Some 'Guardian of the Guardians' I'd become...I couldn't even protect Bunnymund from a walking twig!

"Boston-"

"I'm going. Give me the key."I demanded, standing up and spinning harshly to North. To my shock, he was already holding it out to me, dwarfed by his massive palm. I paused a second, looking from it to him, before reaching for it. I took the heavy wooden key in my hand, North interjecting whatever it was that I was about to say,

"But, ve are going with you. No solo-going for my little girl! No arguments, now get back in sleigh-"

"Nu-uh, no way."I said, shaking my head venemently.

"Boston, we're not letting you go alone!"Tooth protested, flying up and crossing her arms defiantly, Sandy nodding and crossing his arms in the same way. Jack flew up, landing in front of North as he agreed,

"C'mon, that's not what friends do. We stick by eachother, protecting children. Even if that child is quadruple times our age." I paused in the silence, which allowed time for a rather unexpected voice to interject from behind me.

"I believe that, in this case and this case only, I find myself agreeing with these insolent Guardians." I spun around, looking shocked as Pitch stood, leaning a hand on the railing next to him and standing straight up, as if that attack had never happened. And, in one instant, I saw some reminince of the old Pitch. Of a strength, a defiance in his eyes that he'd used to mold himself through the years. A fearless look of power, of courage, of absolute certaintly, holding himself upright, looking more like a King now than I'd ever seen in these past days.

"I believe I have strength enough for this, if even just barely that. So don't try to dissuade me or these people you've somehow consorted into becoming your friends that we aren't accompanying you to that driftwood's house and retrieving that damned Pooka you are so fond of. So long as I get to tear the Fall Spirit limb from limb and watch him slowly burn, I see no reason as to why I shouldn't accompany you."He said in a crisp, slightly strained, authoratative tone.

And finally there was a silence, a silence waiting for my response. And, as I looked each of them in the eye, I pulled my free hand from my jacket pocket and held up the snowglobe.

"I meant that I'm not going back into that goddamned sleigh. Hell yeah you idiots are coming with me."I deadpanned, and they all paused a second, surprised. I didn't wait for them, throwing the snowglobe and looking back. "North, carry Pitch. He's gonna have to tell us where Birchley's house is."I threw back nonchalantly, seeing Pitch's eyes widen and his head shake in negation, not paying any attention as I passed through the portal.

It was just breaking into morning in the forest, stepping onto wet, silent grass and leaving footprints in the dew, birds chirping sleepily and a few squirrels skittering about, just a long line of thick oak trees around us as the others silently made their way over. I paused in a silence, looking at all of the empty trees that seemed normal to humans, but I knew contained Fall inhabitants who were currently out at whatever gathering they'd chosen for this year's party.

All except one. One held Bunny. One held a greyhound. One held Birchley.

"Boston look out!"Tooth shouted. Strike that. The greyhound's here...wait!

"Shit!"I exclaimed, spinning as a blur of grey and black knocked me right over to the ground, hearing a horrible, angry bark rip from its throat, white teeth gnashing at me as I instinctively slammed a fist into it's trechea, sending a shockwave of electricity right into my fist. The bark quickly broke, turning into a pained keen as the dog flailed around and rolled off me, giving me time to catch my breath.

I turned onto my side, pushing up and kneeling on one knee as the dog recovered, its eyes wide with pure feral fury, the growl following the trail of hair down it's body as it stood up, muscles tensing as I held my hand out, ready to send out another trail of electricity...

But nothing happened.

I tried again, focusing on my hand, but the most I got was a static feeling and then a sharp sting, like getting shocked by laundry. I winced, cursing under my breath as dread settled in my chest, sending a shiver up my spine. The light inside of me dimmed dramatically, failing like an old lightbulb as I felt my body begin to shake. Shit shit shit. No, not now, just hold out!

"I got it!"Jack shouted, suddenly soaring above me and gusting a cold wind my way, icing the greyhound as it lurched forward, about to attack me when I became instantly defensless. The ice rippled across the greyhound, leaving it completely still, frozen in time. I closed my eyes, panting as electricity cracked and popped weakly on the surface of my skin as I tried to power some out. Nothing. Nothing more than a few sparks falling down my skin like water droplets.

"Maybe I did wait a bit too long."I panted out, the light inside my chest now dulling considerably. I felt two hands on my shoulders and I was pulled to my feet, supported as I rested my head against a chest, too disoriented and tired to do much more than that.

"Boston, stay here,"Pitch's voice came, but I cut him off,

"No way in blue hell am I staying here while Bunny's in one of these."I snapped, pointing around to the trees. Pitch's hands tightened on my arms and he sighed, tired as I raised my head up, a feeling of embarassement filling me as I saw all of the others giving me concerned looks. I didn't want them to see me weak, not the people I was supposed to protect. This wasn't vice versa, and I wouldn't let it be.

I stepped away from Pitch and said, trying to feigh strength,

"I'm fine, alright? Probably just all this dew around. Now which house is his?"I looked at Pitch, who looked like he was buying absolutely none of it but going along anyway. He straightened out, looking around for a second before instantly gliding forward, almost relieved to see the shadows billowing from the bottom of his cloak like they used to.

I followed him, Jack landing next to me and gripping the staff alittle more white-knuckled than usual. I looked over at him from the corner of my eye, seeing almost a hint of anger amidst the bravado of calm and collected that he was putting on. And I thought back, as we walked towards an old oak tree somewhere in this forest. Thought all the way back, as we made an army-march through the forest, the most ecclectic group of people I'd ever had the chance of meeting.

Thought back on when I saw Pitch for the first time in nine hundred years. Of the Guardians abducting me. Of my hatred towards them. Of that strange, electric current Bunny sent through me that I didn't understand at the time. Their hospitality. Their ecclecticness. The confusing, moral-changing things that they did. When I realized that maybe I didn't completely hate them. Training Sandy. Painting eggs. Little fluffy Bunnymund.

Sleeping in caves. Running in the Warren. Making toys. Becoming a family. And, as we approached a certain large, especially mangled and destroyed oak tree, I realized that, even if this didn't go as planned, I was okay if I died protecting them.

It had truly been a wonderful afterlife.

"Well, here we are. I assume you still have the key?"Pitch inquired, stepping back as I stuck my tongue out at him and brandished the key, stepping up to the tree. The others behind me tensed, knowing this was the moment they'd all been waiting for. That I'd been waiting for. I looked down, seeing a knotted hole right in the center of the bent, almost twisted-toffee looking tree, a black welt in the center of a massive disfigurement in the forest.

I slowly slid the key in, adrenaline pumping through my veins being the only way I could feel confident, could feel anything but the slow ebbing away of the light inside of me. It clicked once, twice, three times without me even moving the key, a flash of silver creating a rectangle in the tree before, with a loud and pained racket, a door swung open towards us.

I stepped back, watching as the mangled tree opened up into a pitch black opening, making me sigh.

"Really? Why is it that no villain can afford electricity?"I asked, Pitch sniffing and glared at me, making me roll my eyes. It might be a nonchalant way of going into my possible death, but this was the only way I knew how to handle things.

"Stay close together, who knows what's gonna be in he-EEEEEEEEERE!"I screamed, stepping inside and immediatly falling, my stomach flopping and body freezing as I felt air rushpast me, the others screaming from up above. Darkness flew past me in what felt like seconds, suddenly a blinding light acosting my eyes as I fell with a hard 'thump' on the ground, groaning as a pain shot up my back. I rolled out of the way just in time for North and Pitch to jump down, Pitch struggling almost comically in North's grasp.

Tooth and Jack flew down quickly in a rush of air, Sandy bringing up the rear. I noticed, for the first time, him rubbing his eyes angrily... And then I remembered. No matter how much I tried, no matter how much I lied, Sandy knew better than anyone how incredibly dire this situation was. He could feel me dying, actually feel the power leaving my body, a frown of anger and sadness plastered onto his little face...

And to think, I used to hate that guy the most out of all.

"...So _wonderful _ of you to drop in."A familiar voice cooed, and I felt my entire body tense up as I stood, facing everyone as their own eyes grew either shocked or darkened with hatred, Pitch's almost turning black as shadows licked up his sides, mouth a thin, angry line and jaw tensed. I paused a second, seeing a fear flash across Jack's eyes for a moment.

Slowly, I turned around, seeing exactly what it was that they all were seeing. A bare room, square, a few yards between perfectly sculpted dirt walls, a root or two bursting out here and there before re-surfacing like small sea monsters. Bunny was sitting against the far wall, hands bound in front of him, as well as his ankles, his head lolling forward in unconcious sleep. But that wasn't what made me furious. What really pissed in my cheerios was what the bonds were made of: Scrap metal. That damn, tricky bastard. He really had thought of everything.

He stood there, no taller, no less horrificly mangled, no less spiteful. Eyes gleaming, mouth drawn back in a toothy grin of pure malice if I'd ever seen it. And in his hand, balanced precariously out to the side? A thin, golden box, with familiar markings, glinting off of the many candles hanging on the ceiling, not even one drop of wax falling down. My eyes found it instantly, and suddenly I felt as if I were the one that was teetering on the brink of shattering, watching literally my life balanced on a knotted, bony hand.

"Ahh, I see you remember this little gem, hm? Then again, how could one forget their memories unless their...oh, I don't know...dead?"Birchley mocked, spitting out the last word as my eyes instantly flicked over to him, trying to literally burn his bark body with my eyes.

"Hand that over Birchley, and you just might leave with your limbs!"Pitch spat out furiously, me seeing North brandish two swords from his big, red, furry coat, Jack pointing his staff at Birchley as Tooth clenched her fists, Sandy forming a ball of dream sand. But, instead of intimidation, Birchley's eyes only began to glow malichiously, and I caught on immediatly.

I flung out my arm and shouted,

"Don't you dare!" They all froze, and I said in a quieter tone, "If you attack him, that box shatters on the floor, and I go with it. He thought this out." I sneered at the end, Birchley's fingers curling and uncurling around the tube, seeing it wobble a bit and making my entire body tense, a pain in my chest as a sick feeling swelled in my gut.

"Very good, maybe you're not as stupid as I thought you were."He keened out, but I couldn't hear his words. No, not them, but what was happening behind him. To Bunny. I saw a twitch of his ears, eyes not flickering to his for more than a second so as not to alert Birchley, but definitly seeing him waking up. Damnit, if he woke up, what good would he be anyway? He'd just try some bone-head move and...and...

That might just work. It was insain, and one wrong move would literally kill me, but it was an idea, and a hell of a lot better one than just standing here. But how to tell Sandy? How?

"And what do you propose you do now? Keep us standing here for all of eternity?"Pitch inquired, and I could almost hug that man. Either he was genuinly curious, or he'd seen that I'd gotten an idea. Either or, he just gave me the best opportunity to communicate with Sandy that I could ask for. If there was one thing I knew about Birchley, it was that he loved bragging, and this was his golden opportunity to show us how he was going to bring us to our knees.

"Ha! You wish that, don't you?"He spat, and I flicked my eyes over to Sandy. He looked over at me, raising an eyebrow sneakily as I held my palm out to him. The electricity wouldn't leave it, could hardly make any appear, but I made enough to spell out, in broken english, what my plan was. It took less than a few seconds, Birchley's voice droning nonsensically in my ears as Sandy read it quickly and gave a curt nod.

I looked back, placing my palm on my thigh as Birchley continued prattling about how intelligent he was, about how the mighty Guardians had fallen, about how it was all my fault, blah blah blah blah... And I focused back on Bunny, who, to my utter relief, now had his eyes opened and was looking around groggily, eyebrows pulled together.

I saw the emotions of confusion and suspicion pass through him, across his emerald eyes, when suddenly it all clicked. His eyes widened and, before he could say anything, his eyes flickered over to me. I glared at him, jaw tight and eyes wide as I gave him a 'shut up or else' look. He paused, confused and still furious, as we began to communicate through looks.

His eyes flashed from me to Birchley, tilting his head a certain way. Tooth noticed beside me and jolted, me sneakily tapping the back of her hand with mine. Thank Manny, she instantly caught on and calmed down, focusing back as Birchley preened and gloated, looking from the ceiling to Pitch, not noticing me once.

I paused, then nodded quickly, looking from Bunny and then motioning with my hand to Birchley. Bunny tensed, then paused. He looked at Birchley's hand, still outstreached to the side, and gave me an incredolous look. I rolled my eyes, growing impatient to have my memories finally back with me. I motioned sternly to Sandy, Bunny casting a gaze over to him and Sandy giving a curt, almost unseen nod.

Bunny nodded, taking in a deep breath as, behind the little man's back, Sandy formed a ball of sand. I waited, entire body tense and ready to pounce as my idea came into fruitation, Bunny silently sliding up the wall and sitting on his haunched, reaching around and pulling out a boomerang awkwardly with both hands, poising for attack. Sandy moved slowly and suspiciously to my side, the sand forming into what looked like a pillow, his eyes alert and ready.

I could hear my heart in my ears, sweat forming on my foreahead and the back of my neck, body tensed as Bunny's was, holding my breath, the moment pausing for just a second...

"NOW!"I shouted, and Birchley jolted as Bunny and Sandy acted at the same time, Bunny throwing himself onto Birchley's back and smacking the back of his head with a hollow 'thud', Sandy's sand shooting out and catching...

Nothing.

Nothing was there.

Birchley still had the memories!

"Go!"North shouted, everyone working into a frenzy as they began to attack. Birchley screamed, no one realizing that he still held the memories but Sand and me. I panicked, pushing past Tooth and shouting,

"No! Stop!" I saw them as Birchley's eyes filled with pure fear, panic, turning and fleeing from the Guardians as I tried to hold them back, Sandy doing something to try and talk to North, but getting brushed off. No no no. Dread filled my gut and I shouted again and again, but they didn't seem to notice, everyone attacking Birchley as he dodged against the far wall. I saw a blast of ice that he barely managed to avoid, ducking as a boomerang stuck in the wall where his head had been.

"No more running, you sorry piece of firewood."Pitch's voice called out, and I saw a nighmare produce itself. Birchley let out a terrified squeak and dodged between North's legs, shooting out next to me and plastering himself against the wall behind me, me turning to see him shaking and panting, the nightmare rearing up to my side.

I panted, the light inside me rapidly draining the longer he held those, feeling an odd tingling sensation now, all over my body, as I looked helplessly at Birchley. And he saw, turning his head to me, eyes locking...

A smile slowly spread across his face, pulling back and cracking the bark on his face, eyes glistening as he held out the tube. Everyone behind me gasped in horror at something I already knew. He raised his eyebrows and, in a face almost insainly gleeful, released the tube from his fingers.

It all happened in slow-motion for me, seeing the tube turn slowly once, twice, like it was falling placidly through the mud. A glint off the side. The nighmare beside me roaring mutely, falling down very, very slowly. It was almost calm, how unrushed everything seemed, like a moving painting done in slow-motion. The streak of shadows as it ached through the room, trailing behind the nightmare as its hooves touched, one...two...three...four, its mane waving like a plant underwater, silent whinneys. The Guardians moving next to me, trying to lunge for a tube yards from their reach.

Birchley holding up his arms to sheild himself, face wincing as the nighmare was upon him, the shadows like whisps of black smoke, emploding the second it touched him and wrapping about him painfully slow. And, in the middle of it all, the tube. Falling, falling, falling like a feather. Turning, twisting, the centerpiece in a painting of chaos and tragedy.

The second the first corner touched the floor, the second the first crack broke in the perfect surface, time moved rapidly once more. A shattering broke a horrible silence, sounding so peaceful for something so terrible. A tinkling of bells as the pieces broke in large chunks, falling and scattering on the floor, white teeth bouncing up and down and rolling across the floor.

I didn't see that, behind it, Birchley was carried away by the nightmare, up the hole screaming bloody murder. I didn't see the Guardians pause, Tooth's small shriek, hear Jack's curse, see the raw pain on Pitch's face, see the tears of shock well up in Sandy's eyes, hear the clattering of knives as North's body went limp.

I saw none of this. I just saw the memories, I just heard the sudden, harsh stop of my heart in my ears, leaving an empty silence, I just felt the light inside of me go out, like someone blew out a candle. There wasn't the pain I was expecting with it, which was pleasent. Just a sudden dimming, leaving a quiet darkness inside of me, feeling like a shell of black without the light, without my pulse, the electricity that usually calmed me now not there, a small sense of longing telling me that, while my heart stopped, I wasn't unable to feel.

"Sheila..."Bunny's voice cracked, and I almost laughed at it. A warm paw on my arm from behind, tentative, as I felt my muscles quiver a bit. The world around me slowly grew dimmer, like someone turning off the lights, those lights that I used to watch. I hoped that the lights in Boston Harbor would still shine just as beautifully without me watching.

"Thanks, Bunny."I said, shocked that I hadn't collapsed yet, but feeling it.

"F-fer what, sheila?"Bunny's voice quivered, hoarse, like he was trying to keep himself together. I felt a smile on my face, the world now just a small point of light as I managed out my last words, sounding surprisingly put-together, almost as if I weren't dead. At least I was going with them around me. The people who changed my life, my course. Each of them so precious to me that I hoped I wouldn't forget about them. Hoped they wouldn't forget about me, after I left to wherever I was going...

"For letting me be able to tell Safa all about the Easter Bunny."

And all the lights went off.


	11. The Lights of Boston

_-Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and support of this story. This is the final chapter, with an epilogue at the end that I hope you all enjoy. I love you all so much and I hope that your own writing is sucessful, so please, sit back and enjoy-_

_-An Oak Tree in the Forest- Bunnymund's p.o.v****_

We didn't know. We couldn't have known. It all just happens so fast, when you finally meet the person causing the person you love so much pain, you don't notice anything else around you. How could you? How could I have known, Boston, if you didn't bloody tell me?! If you'd done something, I wouldn't have kept attacking him, I wouldn't have...he wouldn't have...

Yelling at her in my mind wasn't going to do much of anything. Not when it really didn't matter. Not when she was so damn still, laying in my arms as I fidgeted, trying to do anything to contemplate exactly what had just happened. She lay in my arms, her head laying on its side with her forehead pressed to my stomach, arm laying across her stomach and the other pressed between us. Her hair lay in her eyes, limp and lifeless...

No. No no no. This...this could be her. It could never...never be her, this wasn't the girl I'd known, I'd fought with. Her skin was pale, fragilely human, mortal, her hair now just a yellow blonde color, no light refracting from it or anything else, no electric current running through her like there always had been. Just a dull, still little girl with a peaceful face. Because that's what she was now, right?

There were no conflicts, no confusion. No one trying to kill her. No one arguing with her. No spirits hating her. No holes opening up beneath her. There was just this...this horrible peace that she was in, so...so nothing, just this gorgeous girl that used to be an immortal. Was this how she looked before she died? Before she was re-created?

Then I wasn't sure how someone could do something like stabbing her. Never in a million years would I ever think that I'd be even able to touch something this special, this beautiful. Even in a peaceful death that had been anything but peaceful, she still had some sort of an edge about her. This girl, this small little girl who weilded such insain power, this girl that we all loved. This girl I used to hate.

This girl that changed us. That made us laugh. That made us love her. That shot me with electricity. That played with Sophie and Jamie. She gave us memories of her, that no good gumby! She gave us memories and then just expects us to let her die and end them, and end all of them? Well bloody hell, then she shouldn't have ever made us care about her in the first place!

"Ye can't do this sheila..."I whispered, shaking my head as my body convulsed, my breath coming ragged through a lump in my throat.

"No...no we have to fix this. We have to try! We can't just let her...let her-"

"She already did, Tooth."Jack's voice cracked in pain, the others around me almost silent, still as statues. And I froze at his voice, at his words. She already did...?

"Bloody hell...she can't have..."I choked out, a pain so horrible ripping through my heart. I was loosing her. I couldn't lose her damnit! I bloody loved her too damn much to let her just die!

"Look at her! Sh-she's...she's dead! Because we weren't listening to her! And now look what we've done!"Jack screamed, his voice cracking and hitching as I heard the tears fall to the floor, frozen in time as memories assaulted me, memories that hurt with every sting, with every wonderful time we'd had together, when we never thought we'd ever have to go through this.

We were all so sure...so how did this happen?

"Es...es job of Guardian...to protect ze children..."North whispered numbly, tragically. I gave out a bitter laugh suddenly, shocking even myself at how horribly empty it sounded. I was the one holding her. I was the one feeling nothing, no pulse, no heartbeat, no current.

"Some bloody Guardians we are."I spat out bitterly, gritting my teeth as every possible feeling inside of me shattered, falling like the box of memories, never being put back together again. If I couldn't even protect Boston, how could I ever protect mortal children?

"But..but..."Tooth whimpered, sniffing and falling to her feet on the ground in my perefrial vision. And we were all silent, looking at all of the shattered pieces of our lives. Of the decision we'd made. Not to just attack Birchley, but even before then. Back when we'd asked for her help against Pitch. A decision we made that we couldn't have possibly known would end in this...

"So is this how you repay her?"

We all froze, shocked as Pitch spoke for the first time in a surprisingly kept-together tone. My head snapped up, glaring at him through a haze of unshed tears and pain, seeing his standing there with a scornful, narrow-eyed glare cast on all of us.

"She allowed, for the first time in over a thousand years, for people to get close to her. She cared about all of you, and so you just let this happen?"He spat at us, eyes narrowed in fury as shadows flamed around the brim of his cloak. I grit my teeth, a frustration building inside of me as Jack screamed, seeing for the first time that the Winter Spirit was completely torn apart, body tensed and face wet and red with tears and anger.

"We know!"He shouted, ice flaring out around his feet, "We know that we let this happen! That she trusted us-"

"It wasn't just that she _trusted _you!"Pitch screamed back, completely facing Jack with a furious look on his face, a pain in his eyes I hadn't seen before. Because I'd forgotten how much she really did mean to him, no matter what they'd been through. Boston had that kind of effect on people, where no matter how hard you tried, you ended up loving her. And no matter how hard you wanted to, you could never stop.

"She _protected _you! All of you! And she never gave up, did she?! Never once, because she loved you all too much! Because you meant something to her! Because that's why Manny chose her to be _your _Guardian, because she would never stop fighting for you! And you can't do the same to her?"He demanded, everyone numb and silent at his words, words we never expected from him.

He paused, giving us each a glare before finally landing on me, sneering and saying,

"What about when you all were weak, defenseless? The ones you guarded, the children, stood up to face me and save you. If little children can do that, then why can't any of you?" The silence was painful, painful with guilt. With annoyance, that Pitch of all people had to tell us this. With guilt, because had we really just almost given up on her? On the one person who guarded the Guardians?

And we couldn't return that?

"...I have an idea."Tooth said, her voice having an unusual amount of firmness and authoraty than usual. I looked over, seeing her face stern and determined as she quickly moved to the shattered box, kneeling down and looking up at each of us. "Collect all the teeth, then we need to put this thing back together again!"She demanded, confusion filling my mind as I wondered if Tooth had thought this out at all.

"Bloody hell, Tooth, how'r we suppose ta' do that?"I demanded, still cradling Boston in my arms. She looked over at Jack and asked in a persuasive tone,

"Jack, didn't you tell us that when Pitch broke your staff, you were able to put it back together again?" I paused, body going numb with shock for an instant, before something finally began to feel inside of me. Something I was familiar with, something that I didn't want too much of in case this didn't work, but bloody hell it was our last option! So I took this hope, and I stood with Boston in my arms.

"Well?"I shouted, looking at everyone who seemed to be in some sort of a supor, "Get to it, ya gumbies!" It was like someone flipped a switch, everyone suddenly scampering around and calling out, picking up teeth and shooting over to hand them to Tooth, who was counting and mummbling furiously under her breath as she took the bottom section of the box, which remained intact as a small, curved, half-tube.

I quickly carried Boston over, crouching next to Tooth and looking down as she barely noticed me, North running over, short of breath, and handing over two small teeth, which she ferverently took and muttered,

"Bicuspid, incisor 2."Then placed them into the tray-like surface before I asked, seeing Pitch walk over and hand over another tooth,

"This really gonna work?" She didn't even pause as, for the first time, Tooth actually cursed,

"It better, Manny damnit!" I paused, shocked as both Pitch and I exchanged an equal look of surprise, looking back at Tooth as she continued to ignore us.

"One's missing!"She exclaimed suddenly as Sandy and North gathered on the other side of Tooth, Jack suddenly sliding up on a streak of ice and plunking one last one in, making everyone else sigh in relief.

"There! That's all of them...but how are we supposed to get all of these pieces together?"Jack asked, seeing the large, shard-like pieces of the once-tube. It was my turn to come up with an idea, half out of one lighting up in my mind and the other half out of sheer desperation, wondering if time were of the essence.

"Put them togetha' one-by-one, freeze 'em togetha mate!"I insisted, and Jack nodded in a panic, Sandy and North now working together to take the pieces and put them in their places.

"No no, zis one goes there! Look, es perfect match!"North insisted as the two moved along, Jack lightly touching the cracks between the pieces with his staff. Pure ice criss-crossed over the openings, filling them up like cement as the coffin-like tube slowly formed into a familiar shape. I watched, pulling Boston as close to me as possible, feeling her face in my fur as her body slowly grew colder.

I tried to warm her, running a paw slowly up and down her arm and keeping her close to my pelt, heart in my ears as it pounded, North and Sandy's hands shaking.

"Okay, vere es the last corner?"North asked almost calmly, looking back at Sandy who had been handing him the last few pieces. I looked up, Sandy quickly looking around him with a panicked look on his face. Bloody hell, we didn't have time for this!

"Find it mate!"I exclaimed, everyone looking around and trying to find a glint of anything golden.

"Oh, for Manny's sake, it's right here you bunch of buffoons!"Pitch shouted, reaching under North's knee and pulling out the last sleek, golden shard that would fit perfectly in the triangle-shaped space on the tube that now looked like someone had super-glued it together sloppily with ice, which in theory was what we had done.

Pitch threw the piece at North, who clumsily caught it and placed it in the space, Jack freezing it in and then letting out an audible sigh of relief.

"Okay, there we go, now I just have to...well...I'm not sure what I do, really."He mummbled nervously, and I glared at him with all of my pent-up fury.

"Ye don't bloody know?!"I demaneded as he laid his hands on the top of the tube. He glared down at it, closing his eyes and exclaiming,

"I just have to...to want it to be put back together and then it is! Or at least that's what happened...just watch and shut up!" I stepped back, seeing the frustration written on his own face as he tensed up, jaw tightening and eyes squeezing shut. His entire body seemed to tighten, stringing like a bow about to release an arrow.

I watched, breath caught in my throat as I prayed to anything that this would work, that this would bring her back...because I didn't want to imagine a world without her in it, let alone live in one. Frost slowly etched across the ground, like veins of ice on the ground as his face blushed a bit from concentration, teeth gritting, everyone watching and waiting as...

"Help him!"Tooth exclaimed suddenly, placing her own hands on top of Jack's, closing her own eyes tightly. North paused a second, then placed one of his hands to dwarf one side of the tube, Sandy squeezing in and touching the very end. I shifted Boston, reaching a paw down and balancing her in my arms with the other, placing it over the icy-cold tube.

Something caught my eye, and I looked up for just a moment, pausing at what I saw. Pitch was kneeling, panting in his own weakness, and yet had a hand placed firmly on the last empty spot on the tube, closing his eyes as I saw a desperation. Desperation, something I never thought I'd ever see from him. Something that only Boston could bring out of a person.

I looked down at her, seeing her sleep without breathing, without living. It had been minutes, but I didn't want one more to go by where I wasn't allowed to see her eyes, to talk to her, to bicker and play and...and live. Live with her, for as long as this existance would allow us.

And so I closed my eyes. And in that moment, something happened as every Guardian focused on the tube, all of our hands creating a pattern of the people who loved her, who stood by her, who weren't giving up. Suddenly, I heard the gasps of all those around me as a current of memories smacked us right in the face, swarming through our minds and playing like bits and pieces of movies behind our eyes.

But these memories weren't our own. They were foreign, new, and it took me a moment to realize that these...these were Boston's memories. From when she was alive...

The first one started like a flash of lightning, one little girl sitting in the grass of a hillside. She was the picture of innocence, slightly peach-colored skin with one or two freckles on either side of her little nose, wide and curious light-blue eyes flickering across the fields as she had her long, shoulder-blade length, white-blonde hair braided by another older girl.

This one I knew instantly, because it was the girl I was holding and yet couldn't feel, as if all that existed was this memory. Boston, kneeling and dressed in a brown shirt made out of some ancient material, a rope cinching it around her waist with no sleeves and matching brown pants that hung low on her waist. Her hair was a yellow-blonde, like now, and skin a pale white.

But that wasn't what surprised me. What surprised me wasn't any of that. It was her eyes, the eyes she had before she died. They weren't the yellow I was used to, but instead a blue that was just as vibrant, bright like her own two lights right on her face. It was a blue that I couldn't fully explain, so deep, right, vibrant, that it made it hard to look anywhere but there.

"Alena, what's that?"The little girl asked, and I instantly knew who the little one was. That was Safa, Boston's little sister. Looking at it now, they had the same nose, the same cheek bones, and some similarities in the tone, Safa's much more light and innocent than Boston's more rough, confident one.

"Hm? Whatcha talkin' about, Safa?"She asked, not straying from braiding her sister's hair. Safa pointed over in front of her, something small and blue sticking out of the blades of fresh, soft grass.

"That sissy! It looks like...like a really pretty egg!"Safa exclaimed, Boston stopping for a second and looking over her younger sister's head with her eyebrows raised. Slowly, a smile spread across her face, a mischeif and light dancing in her eyes just like they did when they were yellow and bright. She laughed, shaking her head at her little sister and finishing up the braid by tying what looked like a ribbon in the end, Safa turning around in a huff and exclaiming,

"Stop it! Don't laugh at me! That's what it looks like!" Boston calmed down, shaking her head and sittin on her butt,

"I know! I know, sorry. C'mere, I'll tell you a story."She said calmly, opening her arms as Safa quickly scampered into her lap, Safa's brown dress matching Boston's pants and shirt, her eyes alight with wonder and excitement as Boston wrapped her arms around her.

"What kind of story!"Safa exclaimed, jumping up and down on her butt as Boston rolled her eyes in the amused way she did when Jack did something stupid. She reached forward, snatching up the egg and holding it with her arms around Safa, the younger of the two looking at the egg like it was a treasure, eyes wide and mouth open.

"One about this little egg here. Now I'll have to hurry, we don't want to be late home...Mother wouldn't be happy..."Boston said, her voice straining to sound cheerful at the end as I saw something flash across her eyes, knowing Safa couldn't see her and frowning, a tension and pain written in her eyes as she said this, sending something twisting in my gut. Her mother...

"Okay!"Safa exclaimed, and Boston's face immediatly lit back up, smiling softly down at Safa as if she were her own child, the same way she'd looked at Sophie.

"Now, do you know how this egg got here?"Boston asked, Safa shaking her head and saying,

"No, how Alena?!" Boston chuckled and leaned over, resting her chin on Safa's shoulder as she said in a hushed voice,

"A magical creature, one that goes and leaves eggs once a year, for the children to find." Safa gasped and exclaimed as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world,

"Really?!"

"Of course!"Boston laughed, Safa reaching out and picking up the egg, Boston's hands resting on her sister's knees.

"What's its name?"Safa asked curiously, and Boston's grin softened, saying airily,

"The Easter Bunny."

Before I could see Safa's reaction, or properly have my own, the memory switched. Now we were in some cabin, Safa standing behind Boston as she chopped something up on a wooden counter.

"Alena, what's wrong with Mommy?"Safa asked in all innocence, Boston stopping for a moment. Her face was dark, serious, and troubled, eyes narrowed at whatever it was she was doing. For the first time, I noticed the bruises on her arms, the bruises looking like fingerprints.

"Nothing, Safa...she's just sick because Daddy's gone."Boston said, her words strained and obvious lies to anyone but an innocent little girl.

"Alena? Now that Daddy's gone, is something bad gonna happen to us?"The little girl's question was full of innocence, a pure and easy question that could only be asked by a small child. Boston put down the knife and turned quickly to her sister, kneeling down and grabbing the young girl's shoulders.

"No, nothing bad's gonna happen to you, understand?"She said in a serious tone, "I'll never let anything bad happen to you, I'll always be with you, okay?" Safa frowned, tilting her head to the side and asking quietly,

"But what if something happens to you?" Boston paused a second, eyes clouding over and telling that this was obviously something she'd thought about, worried over. Finally, she brushed a lock of pure-blonde hair from her sister's face and said softly, reassuringly,

"Hey, nothing's gonna happen to me, so long as you keep me right here,"She poked Safa's chest, "And right here,"She poked Safa's head, making the little girl laugh and lighting up Boston's face, the smile returning, "Then I'll always be able to protect you, okay? You just have to keep believing in me."

"Like the Easter Bunny?"Safa asked happily, and Boston laughed, pulling the younger one in for a hug and nodding.

"Yep, just like the Easter Bunny."

"Hey sissy?"

"Yeah?"

"If you ever meet the Easter Bunny, will you tell him I say hi?"

"Sure thing, sweetie."

The next memory seemed just a black screen at first, until a massive slam made my heart jump into my throat, body twitching while I was still caught in this coma-like state, watching all of these memories from a third-person point of view. The slam was a door, and as my mind adjusted to the sudden darkness, I made out that it was nighttime and the little cottage the girls had been in was actually built in a crook of a massive rock, almost as if they were too poor to live in a village and had to make their own home here, safe from the elements.

There was screaming, but I couldn't make it out. It just sounded like someone was playing a scene from under water, and we were above the water, trying to make out muted sounds as the waves washed over them, seeing the image perfectly clear now. Boston was pressed against the side of the rock that jutted sideways from the back of the house, her eyes writ with anger and fear.

In front of her stood a woman, her wild, dirty blonde hair sticking out greasily and dirty from the ponytail it was haphazardly pulled into. Her face was middle-aged, lines and sagging written across her features, black eyes that barely showed a pupil, wearing a long-sleeved, brown dress that went to her ankles. But that wasn't what I noticed. That wasn't what made my blood run cold and everything instantly fall into place.

I can't even try to describe to you the utter horror I felt as I realized exactly how Boston had died. Why she never told us. Why it was so surpressed that the memory was actually damaged, the voices and screaming snuffed out, the darkness thicker than it should have been. It was something I'd never understand, how a mother could do that to her child. I'd never really thought into it, who had actually killed Boston, but something like this...I'd never expected it, and it sent a horrible chill through my veins, made me feel sick to the point where I had to take in a shaky breath.

The worst part was that you can't look away when something's in your mind. So I saw all of it, couldn't even close my eyes. Saw the mother mouth the word 'die', and then rushed at Boston too fast for her to react. The knife slid into a spot I knew well, a spot that would have a twin thousands of years later. And then there was a stillness, Boston's eyes wide, jaw clenched, the mother pausing with a horrified look on her face.

With a jerky movement, the mother pulled back, the dagger sliding back out and being thrown somewhere out of sight, the woman, the creul, sick woman who dared to look pained and anguished, turned and sprinted away, around the rock as if afraid something would happen to her. Leaving her daughter.

Boston leaned back against the rock, but ended up falling to her knees and, eventually, onto her side. She was convulsing, both hands pressed to the wound as a dark substance stained her fingers, curling up as another movement caught my eye. A little girl, running from the cottage and over to Boston, kneeling down as, suddenly, their was noise again.

"Sissy! Sissy what's wrong, are you sick?"Safa asked, too young, too innocent to know what blood meant, what it looked like. Boston rolled over, Safa moving and placing Boston's head in her lap as she sat cross-legged, looking down at her older sister. Her older sister who, despite everything, was still trying to act strong. Not one damn thing had changed when she became immortal.

"Y-yeah sweetie, I'm real sick right now..."She said, actually sounding happy though her voice came out in struggled noises. Safa tilted her head, not knowing how incredibly tragic this was, not knowing her sister was dying in her lap.

"Sick like Mama?"Safa asked, and Boston shook her head.

"Nah, not sick like Mama..."

"Sick like Daddy?"Safa asked, and Boston paused, then nodded.

"Yeah,"She said in an agreeing tone, "Sick like Daddy, sweetie."

"But Daddy died because he started coughing a lot for a long time. You're not coughing."Safa pointed out, and Boston laughed again, the pain stifled in her voice as one hand fell to the ground, the other laying limply over the wound. There was too much blood now...way too much...

"No, your right, it's a different sickness."She agreed, and Safa frowned.

"Sissy, does this mean you're gonna leave like Daddy did?"She asked sadly, and Boston paused before nodding twice, looking up at Safa and saying, voice hitching halfway through,

"Y-yeah Safa, it does...you're gonna have to take care of yourself from now on, okay? I wont be here anymore, I'm going away, so you've got to be a strong girl for me."

Safa shook her head, saying in a matter-of-fact voice, as if nothing in the world were wrong, as if no evil could work its way into her,

"You're not gonna go, sissy, remember? I'll keep believing in you, just like the Easter Bunny, and that way you'll be here forever. Right?"

"...Yeah, you just keep believing in me, okay?"Boston said, her voice turning into a whisper and still catching and hitching, reaching up a shaking, slow hand to brush away the bangs from Safa's eyes. "Don't you dare ever let me leave, not even when you become a big, strong adult, alright?" Safa nodded eagerly, smiling and saying,

"I promise sissy!"

"Good girl..."Boston said, her hand slipping back down to her side, Safa brushing her fingers through the short locks of her older sister as the memory slowly faded to black, turning into just two silouhetts, and then finally nothing.

It broke, the trance we were all in, snapping each of us back at the same time as all of our eyes flew open, the most painful lump in my throat I could ever imagine, looking up to see tears streaming down Tooth's face, equally broken looks on the faces of Jack, Sandy and North. Pitch just looked down, letting out a tired sigh with darkened eyes, as if what he'd seen had put all of the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"...Hey, Bunny...?" A current ran through my body, making me twitch and freeze, eyes wide as the voice rang in my ears. The voice I never imagined hearing again. The voice that came from the most amazing girl, the girl that now lay in my arms looking up at me. The girl with the glowing skin, with the bright, vibrant, yellow eyes, with the shimmering hair. The girl that the moon chose.

The girl I loved, her eyes flickering up to mine as everyone silenced, my body shaking as I felt tears fight their way to my eyelids.

"Safa says hi."She said, in a groggy voice that was still so clear. And I laughed. And slowly, everyone else did, too. Even bloody Pitch gave a small smile, shaking his head incredolously.

"What's so damn funny?"She demanded, and that only made us laugh harder, until real tears streamed down Jack and North's faces, Boston actually sitting up on her own and looking around, confused as I kept my arm around her back.

"You are, Nightlight."I teased, and she whipped her head around, giving me that beautiful glare that I greedily took in like air to a suffocating man.

"You, my dear, need to get over that nasty habit of dying you seemed to pick up,"Pitch mused, almost happily, "I don't think I can survive much more of it." Boston stuck her tongue out at him as we all just kind of sat there, laughing and crying and letting her think we were crazy for a second. Because we didn't really care.

Because we had her, and we were never letting her go.

_-At the Pole- Boston's p.o.v****_

"Oh, you're sure you can't stay? After all you did, we'd love to have you!"Tooth said chipperly as Pitch stood awkwardly in the overlook where we'd cornered him trying to escape, me just smiling at how horribly uncomftorble he looked.

"Um...no. I'm afraid you are all too chipper for me. Sickeningly so."He said, blinking and looking around at everyone.

"Aww, not even gonna give us goodbye hugs?"Jack teased, leaning on his staff as Pitch shot him a death-glare, shadows raising up around him. I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, a feeling of pure energy that I hadn't felt in so long now that the light inside of me was on like a freaking gigawatt, saying calmly,

"Calm down jackass. Just be glad they like you enough to actually let you leave, and don't just shove you into a sack and cart you off."I shot them all a look that North, as always, chose to ignore.

"Pitch, if you ever change mind, we vill be glad to have you visit!"He exclaimed, and without warning, pulled Pitch into the largest bear-hug I think I've ever seen. Now it wasn't the fource of the hug, nor the happy exclamations that North was making, that made that moment one of the funniest fucking things I'd ever seen.

It was Pitch, wriggling and squirming as he shouted at the top of his lungs,

"UNHAND ME THIS INSTANT! I WILL UNLEASH NIGHTMARES UPON YOU THE LIKES OF WHICH YOU'VE NEVER SEEN EVEN IN YOUR MOST TERRIFYING DREAMS!"

"We vill miss you too!"North exclaimed in a happy sob, making me lean over and grab my knees from the fource of my laughter, comforting electricity running up my arms and down my neck as I did, Pitch using his hands to try and pry himself from North's grasp. Finally, he succeeded in slipping downwards and jumping away from the man, smoothing this cloak and glaring with the fury of ten suns at the large, laughing elf.

I finally calmed down, taking in a breath and whiping a tear of laughter from my eye, before walking up to the King of Nightmares and punching his arm lightly. He turned to me, raising an eyebrow as I shoved my hands into my pockets.

"Better damn well not be another 900 years before I see you again, jackass."I said, using our way of communicating to tell him that I did, honestly, want him to visit. Maybe it wouldn't be right away, but when I said I wanted us to be friends I'd meant it Manny damnit! His gaze softened and he mused,

"I'll be busy taking care of a particular Fall Spirit, turning his life into a living hell from which he will never return...but I might drop in for some tea."

I smirked at him and punched him in the stomach, making him roll his eyes.

"Must you abuse me? Honestly, I wish these fools luck in taking care of you and thank them for keeping you out of my hair constantly. Now shoo, I need to be off, the nightmares will worry."He chirped like a mother, turning me around and lightly shoving me back to where I was standing next to Bunny, Pitch raising one of his hands as the shadows jumped and began to encircle him.

Right before he was gone, he turned to Bunny and said in the calmest, most nonchalant voice possible,

"Oh, and if you hurt her I will skin you while you're still fully concious." And with that, he was gone. Bunny shivered next to me, and I rolled my eyes.

"Suck it up, he only half means it."I mused, turning and walking away to where the elves were causing havoc.

"Half-means it, bloody hell does that mean?"Bunny asked, North shouting down at the yetis to get the elves under control, Jack laughing and soaring down to join them. Tooth began to chirp away orders at her mini-faries as she flew in the air, Sandy streaching and yawning, laying down on his cloud for some sleep.

"He'll probably come up with something better than just skinning you."I mused, shrugging as Bunny followed me down the stairs.

"Sheila!"

_-Epilogue-_

_-The Warren- Boston's p.o.v****_

Bunny streached, yawning and shaking snow from his fur as we walked back into the Warren from one of the tunnels, the electric sparks around me dancing and warming my skin.

"Bloody Frostbite, next time I see 'im I'll wring his bloody neck!"Bunny exclaimed, referring to the blizzard Jack had just put us through this Easter. I'd helped out, not expecting that snowstorm either, but focusing much less on it than to the reason why I'd delivered some of the eggs this year.

Part of it was for Sophie, to give her one personally. The other part, well...that part was much more terrifying. Because I'd thought about it and changed my mind on it more times than I'd care to admit. Because every fiber of my being was terrified beyond the reasonable levels that it should have been.

"Oi, gumby."I mocked, Bunny groaning and turning around, paws on his hips, the early-morning sunlight reflecting off his blue pelt, ears up and eyebrow raised. I walked up to him, heart pounding loudly in my ears and feeling like a schoolgirl in front of her crush. I coughed and pulled the small egg from my pocket, painted a bright yellow with nothing else on it, just a yellow base.

"Ye fergot one?!"Bunny exclaimed, and I shot him a glare of annoyance.

"No! It's for you, you jackass!"I snapped, holding it out. He paused, a look of surprise crossing his face for a moment as I shoved it into his stomach again, him actually reaching down and holding it this time.

"Why?"He asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"Just open it before I smack you so hard you'll wake up next Easter."I threatened calmly, and he turned, crouching on his haunches with the egg in his hands. I turned and walked around him, not stopping until I could see over his shoulder.

My pulse pumped through my veins and, as he cracked the egg open, I paused. Thinking about how far I'd come since this whole, crazy journey began. I'd never expected this to happen, and if I had I sure as hell would have fought harder than I had...but that made me glad that I was oblivious to how these people would affect me. Because everything that had happened leading up to this...it was worth it.

Maybe Manny was right, thought I'd never admit it, that the events leading up to this and everything beyond this were curcial in making me who I was. So I watched, reassured, as Bunny pulled out the little folded up piece of ripped-out paper, placing the egg shell on the ground and slowly, curiously, opening up the folded book page.

I remembered the poem as one I liked, one of the last ones Pitch and I had read. I could recite it myself, reading it as Bunny did.

Wait for me, and I'll return

Only wait very hard.

Wait when you are filled with sorrow...

Wait in the sweltering heat.

Wait when the others have stopped waiting,

Forgetting their yesterdays.

Wait even when from afar no letters come to you

Wait even when others are tired of waiting...

And when friends sit around the fire,

Drinking to my memory,

Wait, and do not hurry to drink to my memory too.

Wait. For I'll return, defying every death.

And let those who do not wait say that I was lucky.

They will never understand that in the midst of death,

You, with you waiting, saved me.

Only you and I know how I survived.

It's because you waited, as no one else did.

"What's this fer, sheila?"Bunny asked as he finished.

"It's a poem I read once."

"I get that, but why's it in tha egg?"

"...You waited, didn't you?"I asked, and he paused. Slowly, he turned, still sitting on his haunches and looking up at me with those beautiful emerald eyes, sparkling in the dim sunlight, a mildly confused look on his face. And I just smile and tackled him, Bunnymund letting out an 'omf!' as I knelt and interlaced my fingers in the soft chest fur, pulling his face to mine.

I kissed him suddenly, quickly, feeling his lips on mine for just one second before pulling away and looking him in the eye, his legs around me as I knew, in this instant, that I'd definitly chosen him.

"Sh-sheila?"He stuttered, eyes wide as I grinned and ran my right-hand fingers through the fur on his cheek.

"Well, you can stop waiting."I mused, and saw the realization kick into his eyes as I leaned in closer, whispering the words that were saved for his ears and his only, then, now, and as long as my lucky streak could hold out, into the future.

"I love you."

There wasn't even a second to spare between me saying that and Bunny tackling me backwards, arms wrapped around me and lips instantly on mine, for just a brief moment, before he pulled back just a centimeter and whispered,

"'Bout bloody time." I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck, him leaning down and whispering in my ear, nuzzling my neck as his warmth lay over me, breathing in the scent of chocolate and grass.

"I love ya too, Nightlight."

"Boston."

"Punk."

"Fluffy."

"Outlet!"

"House Pet!"

"..."

"HA!"I laughed, seeing his stumped face as he tried to come up with another name and failed. He huffed and rolled his eyes, sitting back as I sat up, nuzzling my face in his chest fur, his arms slowly encircling me. I relaxed, the Warren slowly waking up around us as we just sat there for a long, long time, until the sun was fully up and children were out gathering Easter eggs.

"North wanted to see us. Wanted to throw a party for Easter."I said, Bunny laughing.

"Bloody suck-up."

"You'll get to kick Jack's ass."

I looked up, smiling as Bunny did, his eyes glistening in one of the most beautiful things I'd ever see for the rest of my existance, sparks travelling down my neck as I looked deep into them...

I'd begun this journey looking at the city lights of Boston, thinking that they were the most beautiful things in the world...

Now, in this man's eyes, in the eyes of all my friends, of my family, I'd just found my new Boston Harbor. And I'd make sure these lights would never go out.


End file.
